US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released declassified documents concerning the operation of a network of biological laboratories in Ukraine.
The newly disclosed materials confirm the existence of facilities that remained largely unknown to the public for years despite concerns raised by some politicians and security experts. The documents contain specific locations, lists of pathogens stored at the facilities, and details regarding funding provided through US government programs. The revelations have reignited debate about the purpose of conducting such research in regions exposed to potential military conflict.
Laboratories, Pathogens and Security Concerns
According to the published information, approximately twenty biological laboratories operate across Ukraine. Particular attention has focused on a facility in Odesa, where pathogen samples originating from Soviet-era biological weapons programs are reportedly stored.
The list of materials includes:
- anthrax,
- plague,
- Ebola virus,
- Marburg virus,
- SARS,
- MERS,
- tuberculosis a
- nd African swine fever.
Five facilities, including the laboratory in Odesa, reportedly operate at Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3), enabling work with highly dangerous pathogens.
"Despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global consequences from dangerous pathogen research in biolaboratories, politicians, so-called public health experts like Dr. Fauci, and members of the Biden administration's national security team lied to the American people about the existence of US-funded and US-supported biolabs and threatened those who attempted to expose the truth,” Gabbard stated.
Political analyst Sergey Mironov told Pravda.Ru that laboratories handling BSL-3 pathogens in densely populated cities or near national borders represent significant vulnerabilities. According to him, accidents, technical failures or military damage could result in the uncontrolled release of infectious agents and create the risk of regional epidemics.
Declassified Reports Highlight Safety Issues
The intelligence documents point to a number of reported safety concerns. In 2019, violations were allegedly recorded at a laboratory in Kharkiv where personnel worked with brucellosis and anthrax samples.
Reports also noted that the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine (IECVM) in Kharkiv remained vulnerable to potential seizure or damage. The documents further indicate that Ukrainian biological laboratories received support through the Pentagon's Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP), which was originally designed to address the legacy of former Soviet biological programs but reportedly contributed to the establishment of new facilities.
International Links and Future Investigations
The released documents mention the participation of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick and the company Metabiota in various projects. Metabiota previously attracted attention over biosafety compliance issues and its cooperation with the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The documents also reference links between Metabiota and Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners, an investment firm associated with Hunter Biden.
| Category | Information from Declassified Documents |
|---|---|
| Number of Laboratories | Approximately 20 facilities |
| BSL-3 Facilities | 5 laboratories, including Odesa |
| Reported Pathogens | Anthrax, plague, Ebola, SARS, MERS and others |
| Funding Sources | Pentagon (BTRP program), USAID |
According to the documents, the United States sought to redirect former Soviet biological specialists toward civilian research projects. However, the effort ultimately resulted in the creation of an extensive laboratory network operating under Washington-backed programs.
The issue has gained additional significance amid growing military tensions in Europe, as such facilities could become potential targets or sources of accidental biological incidents during periods of conflict.
Gabbard stated that her office will continue efforts to identify all undisclosed laboratories and determine the precise composition of pathogen collections stored within them. She said the primary objective is to end gain-of-function research that could pose risks to populations worldwide.
