EXPLAINER: Why would world leaders balk at giving Putin DNA?

If knowledge is power, knowing the intimate secrets of one’s DNA could be the ultimate weapon

If knowledge is power, knowing the intimate secrets of one's DNA could be a powerful weapon. That might explain why the world leaders who hastened to Moscow in recent days for diplomatic talks seemed to balk at Russian-administered coronavirus tests.

But this may be a case where imagination is getting a bit ahead of what science is actually capable of.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refused to let Russia conduct a PCR test — while French officials said President Emmanuel Macron balked at some of the requirements to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, leading to speculation he didn’t want the Russian swab either.

Neither leader is known for opposition to COVID-19 countermeasures, so speculation arose that they were trying to keep genetic material out of Russia’s hands.