Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has released a collection of declassified records detailing U.S. funding and involvement in more than 120 biological laboratories located in over 30 countries, including dozens of facilities in Ukraine, as reported by Fox News.
The release, announced June 14, has renewed attention on questions surrounding overseas biological research programs that became a major topic of debate following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
According to Gabbard, the newly released records provide additional information about laboratory networks that were previously the subject of public controversy.
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She argued that the documents support concerns that had been dismissed by some critics as misinformation.
The records include Office of the Director of National Intelligence briefing materials outlining U.S. involvement with biological laboratories in Ukraine.
One document states that more than 40 laboratories in the country received U.S. funding and maintained collections of bacteria and viruses, including some dating back to the Soviet era.
The records also indicate that Ukrainian scientists participated in U.S.-funded training programs focused on working with hazardous pathogens and handling especially dangerous diseases.
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Among the pathogens listed in the declassified materials are anthrax, tuberculosis, plague, Ebola virus, Marburg virus, MERS, and SARS.
Additional documents describe construction, modernization, and laboratory improvement projects conducted at facilities across Ukraine, including locations in Kherson, Odesa, and western regions of the country.
According to the records, engineering firm Black & Veatch served as a major contractor on several projects. Individual laboratory upgrades and construction efforts reportedly ranged from approximately $1.7 million to $3.5 million in taxpayer-funded expenditures.
One assessment included in the release focuses on a veterinary research facility in Kharkiv that received support through the Defense Department’s Biological Threat Reduction Program.
The assessment states that the laboratory housed hundreds of pathogen samples, including Brucella bacteria, which can cause brucellosis.
The document also warned that the facility could become vulnerable during the conflict with Russia and potentially be damaged, captured, or exploited for propaganda purposes.
Another ODNI briefing slide outlines what it describes as a “web of connections” involving Ukrainian laboratories, U.S. government agencies, universities, research organizations, and private-sector contractors.
According to the document, American funding supported research involving bird flu and other highly infectious viruses conducted within high-security laboratory environments.
The release comes amid broader scrutiny of biological research programs and government transparency efforts.
Debate over the laboratories intensified after Russia’s 2022 invasion, with differing interpretations emerging regarding the purpose and oversight of the facilities.
Supporters of Gabbard’s decision to release the records argue that the documents provide information that had not been fully available to the public and offer greater insight into the scope of U.S.-backed biological research overseas.
Critics, however, continue to maintain that the laboratories were part of long-standing public health and threat-reduction initiatives designed to secure dangerous pathogens, improve disease monitoring, and reduce biological risks rather than conduct biological weapons research.
The declassification is expected to generate renewed discussion in Washington regarding government transparency, gain-of-function research, international laboratory partnerships, and the extent of U.S. involvement in biological research programs around the world.
As lawmakers, researchers, and policy experts review the newly released materials, the records are likely to remain part of a broader debate over biological security, foreign aid, and federal oversight of overseas research initiatives.
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