Outgoing US Intelligence Chief Revives Debunked Kremlin-Backed Claims About Ukraine Biolabs

Outgoing US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has released declassified documents concerning more than 120 foreign biological research laboratories, including facilities in Ukraine, reviving claims that have long been associated with Russian disinformation narratives about US-funded “biolabs” in the country.

According to statements published by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on June 12, the documents relate to laboratories in more than 30 countries that received US funding and conduct research involving biological pathogens.

The ODNI claimed that some of the facilities worked with dangerous pathogens and that information about the scope of the programs had not been fully disclosed to the public. The release came just weeks before Gabbard’s announced departure from office on June 30.

According to the ODNI, one US-funded laboratory in Ukraine reportedly stored dangerous pathogens and remained vulnerable to capture, damage, or disruption during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The documents released by the agency did not provide detailed evidence regarding the nature of the research allegedly conducted at the facility.

In a statement accompanying the publication, Gabbard alleged that some laboratories had conducted or continue to conduct research involving dangerous pathogens, including so-called “gain-of-function” studies.

“Despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global impact, politicians, so-called health experts like Dr. Fauci, and members of the Biden administration lied to the American people about the existence of these labs,” Gabbard said.

According to the ODNI, US intelligence agencies have also been directed to increase monitoring of biological research facilities overseas.

However, several observers questioned both the timing and presentation of the release. The map published alongside the documents contained multiple geographical errors, including an incorrect location for Kyiv and references to locations labeled “Zakarpattia” and “Crimea” as sites of Ukrainian laboratories.

Bellingcat executive director Christo Grozev criticized the publication, arguing that Gabbard had effectively provided “another information operation” for the Kremlin. Financial Times correspondent Christopher Miller similarly suggested that the move reflected Gabbard’s long-standing interest in theories surrounding alleged US biological laboratories in Ukraine.

The issue has remained a recurring element of Russian information campaigns since the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Russia has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine hosted US-backed biological weapons programs, allegations that Washington, Kyiv, and international organizations have consistently rejected.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, many of the facilities referenced in US government documents were part of long-running threat reduction programs established after the Cold War. These initiatives were designed to secure former Soviet biological and chemical research infrastructure and improve disease surveillance and laboratory safety.

The United States has previously stated that its cooperation with Ukrainian laboratories focused on public health, pathogen monitoring, and biological threat detection. In 2022, the Pentagon said that since 2005 the US had provided approximately $200 million in support to 46 Ukrainian laboratories, healthcare facilities, and diagnostic sites as part of biological threat reduction efforts.

In 2023, the US State Department accused Russia of expanding disinformation related to alleged biological weapons programs in Ukraine in an attempt to justify its invasion and undermine international support for Kyiv.

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