The Director of National Intelligence in the United States, Tulsi Gabbard, has unveiled declassified evidence indicating the existence of over 120 biological laboratories funded by American taxpayers across more than 30 nations, including Ukraine.
This revelation, formalized through press release number 10-26 from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), stems from an extensive review of Intelligence Community files conducted over several months.
"After many months of scrutinizing the files and records of the Intelligence Community, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard presents new evidence of the U.S. government's long-standing funding of over 120 biological laboratories in over 30 countries," the official statement reads.
The declassified documents, approved for release on April 23, 2026, disclose that more than 40 labs have been built and supported in Ukraine since 2005, with an investment totaling approximately $200 million.
The primary contractor in Ukraine was Black & Veatch, working with local subcontractors on the design, construction, and equipping of these facilities.
Among the documented laboratories are the Kherson Diagnostic Laboratory, costing $1.7 million; the Veterinary Medicine Institute of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, with $2.1 million; the Central Reference Laboratory of the Plague Institute in Odessa, at $3.5 million; and the Zakarpatska Diagnostic Laboratory, with a budget of $1.9 million.
The documents reveal that these centers housed especially dangerous pathogens, including anthrax, tularemia, tuberculosis, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, SARS, MERS, and plague, among other infectious agents from the Soviet era.
Concerns Over Pathogen Security in Ukraine
The Intelligence Community had previously warned that at least one of these labs in Ukraine "harbored dangerous pathogens and remained vulnerable to persistent threats of attack, seizure, or damage by Russia" due to the ongoing conflict.
The declassified slides also indicate that "the U.S. paid Ukrainian scientists to study the genome of highly pathogenic avian influenza and other highly infectious viruses in U.S. government-funded biocontainment labs."
Executive Order Prompts New Transparency Measures
Gabbard framed the disclosure as part of the compliance with President Donald Trump's Executive Order, signed on May 5, 2025, which terminated federal funding for risky gain-of-function research abroad and mandated increased transparency and accountability.
"In support of President Trump's Executive Order to end federal funding of risky gain-of-function research worldwide and to enhance transparency and accountability, the ODNI will continue collaborating with Administration partners to identify the locations of these labs, the pathogens they contain, and the 'research' conducted within them," Gabbard declared.
The documents also note that Russia accused the U.S. of conducting biological weapons work in a lab located in the basement of one of the Ukrainian facilities, a charge that Washington has consistently denied, asserting that these are biosecurity and public health programs.
The overseas biolab program traces its origins to the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, established after the Cold War to dismantle weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet republics, and is managed by the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Understanding U.S. Funded Biological Labs
What is the purpose of the U.S.-funded biological labs in Ukraine?
These labs are involved in biosecurity and public health programs, including the study of dangerous pathogens and infectious agents. They are part of an initiative to enhance global health security.
How has the U.S. responded to allegations from Russia regarding these labs?
The United States has consistently denied allegations of biological weapons work, maintaining that the labs are focused on biosecurity and improving public health.
What is the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program?
This program was established post-Cold War to dismantle weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet republics and is managed by the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency.