Russia’s Ministry of Defense has reiterated claims that the US carried out biological research in Ukraine, stating it has obtained additional wartime documents it says point to military-linked studies.
At a briefing on Friday, Lt. Gen. Alexei Rtishchev, head of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Troops, said the documents suggest research on dangerous pathogens is focused on military use rather than public health, according to Russian state media TASS.
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He linked the work to a 2005 cooperation agreement between Ukraine and the US and argued the programs were coordinated through US defense structures.
Rtishchev also claimed that Ukrainian labs stored large amounts of pathogens such as cholera, tularemia, and brucellosis. He said some research was done in secret and with limited access for Ukrainian staff.
Russia claims its findings prove Ukraine broke the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.
What preceded the latest claims?
The Russian statements came shortly after a June 12 disclosure by outgoing US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard, who released information referencing US-funded biological research facilities abroad.
Her office said the US has supported more than 120 biological laboratories in over 30 countries, including Ukraine, and warned that facilities handling dangerous pathogens could face risks during the ongoing war.
“These biolabs include labs in Ukraine, which may be at risk of compromise due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. For example, the Intelligence Community previously warned that a US-funded biolab in Ukraine likely housed dangerous pathogens and remained vulnerable to longstanding threats of Russian attack, seizure, or damage,” the statement reads.
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The statement cited earlier intelligence assessments but did not allege that the programs involved biological weapons development.
Gabbard also suggested that information about some of these programs had been limited or obscured within parts of the US government system.
Gabbard, who stayed at the DNI post for just over a year, has previously speculated about US-funded biological facilities abroad.
Before taking the role, Gabbard was listed by Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation as a public figure accused of amplifying narratives aligned with Russian information campaigns. The list was later revised and her name removed.
In late May 2026, she stepped down as director of national intelligence, citing her husband’s serious illness, while US media also reported internal policy disagreements with the administration. She is expected to leave office on June 30, 2026.
Russia’s earlier 2022 allegations
These claims are not new.
Russia has been making similar accusations since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022. It repeatedly claimed that US-linked labs in Ukraine were conducting military biological research, which supposedly includes the weaponization of mosquitoes.
Ukraine, the US, and independent experts all reject this. They say the labs are part of normal public health work such as disease tracking and safety checks.
On July 16, 2022, Russia’s defense ministry said it had documents showing biological research in Ukraine going back to at least 2011.
It pointed to labs in the Kharkiv region, including Merefa, and said some experiments were done with foreign nations.
Russia also claimed that some labs were civilian on paper but used for other work, and that equipment was moved to western Ukraine under Ukrainian security control.
Later, Russia added more claims about mosquitoes, infectious diseases, and international research programs.
None of these claims has been confirmed by independent investigations.
Ukraine, US reject allegations
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has repeatedly rejected the claims, calling them part of ongoing disinformation campaigns targeting biosafety cooperation programs.
Kyiv says Ukrainian laboratories involved in international projects are civilian facilities focused on public health, veterinary science, disease surveillance, and biosafety.
It stresses that Ukraine fully complies with the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and has never engaged in biological weapons development.
Ukraine also cites consultations under the BWC framework, including a 2022 review process requested by Russia, which it says found no evidence supporting allegations of biological weapons activity.
The US also denies operating biological weapons programs in Ukraine and describes its work as biosafety cooperation aimed at disease detection and prevention.
Russia’s favorite conspiracy theory
Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller believes that Gabbard “used her platform and access to intelligence to perpetuate one of her and Russia’s favorite conspiracy theories, disingenuously twisting facts, deliberately misinforming the public and delivering a gift to the Kremlin.”
The “biolabs” story keeps returning during the war, especially when tensions rise. So far, no independent international investigation has found evidence that Ukraine has a biological weapons program.
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