By INS Contributors

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Russia's Ministry of Defense has renewed its concerns that the United States funded and supervised military-related biological research in Ukraine, citing recently declassified documents released by U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard as evidence supporting long-standing Russian claims.

In a briefing on June 19, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that newly published materials from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) confirmed the existence of a network of U.S.-funded biological laboratories in Ukraine and other countries. Moscow argued that the disclosures validate concerns it has repeatedly raised at the United Nations and other international forums regarding alleged violations of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC).

According to the Russian military, the ODNI documents indicate that more than 120 foreign biolaboratories received U.S. funding, including over 40 facilities in Ukraine. Russian officials pointed to references in the ODNI release stating that some laboratories conducted research involving dangerous pathogens and gain-of-function experiments with limited oversight.

The Defense Ministry said facilities identified in Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Lvov, Vinnitsa, Ternopol, Chernigov, and Odessa conducted work involving pathogens associated with plague, anthrax, tularemia, Marburg virus, and Ebola. Moscow asserted that these locations correspond to facilities previously identified by Russian officials since the start of the conflict in Ukraine.

Russian officials further highlighted the Odessa Mechnikov Anti-Plague Research Institute, which they said was reconstructed under contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. The ministry alleged that questions surrounding the institute's pathogen collections and storage capacities had previously been raised during consultations among BTWC member states.

The ministry also pointed to research conducted at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine in Kharkov, claiming that studies focused on highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, classical swine fever, Newcastle disease, and other zoonotic infections with potential economic and public health implications.

Moscow additionally reiterated claims regarding a series of projects identified as "U-Pi," which allegedly examined the spread of diseases through migratory birds, arthropods, and other vectors. Russian officials stated that they possess documentation relating to at least ten such projects involving pathogens including Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, leptospirosis, tick-borne encephalitis, and African swine fever.

The Russian Defense Ministry argued that the newly released U.S. intelligence materials undermine previous Western assertions that Moscow's allegations were disinformation. The ministry said it intends to continue raising the issue at international organizations and claimed additional evidence remains under review.

The Russian briefing followed a separate June 18 announcement by DNI Tulsi Gabbard, who released declassified U.S. intelligence documents related to the origins of COVID-19 and the role of former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director Dr. Anthony Fauci.

In the ODNI release, Gabbard alleged that Fauci directed U.S. funding toward gain-of-function coronavirus research at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology and subsequently worked with intelligence officials to shape public and intelligence assessments regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ODNI statement claimed newly declassified communications show Fauci maintained extensive contacts within the U.S. intelligence community and influenced assessments that favored a natural-origin explanation for the virus. The release further alleged that Fauci provided intelligence agencies with recommendations from selected scientists while dissenting views supporting a laboratory-origin hypothesis were marginalized.

According to ODNI, hundreds of emails reviewed during a year-long declassification process suggest intelligence analysts frequently incorporated recommendations linked to Fauci and his scientific advisers. The agency also alleged that Fauci's public statements and congressional testimony in 2024 were inconsistent with documentary evidence showing interactions with U.S. intelligence officials concerning viral research.

The ODNI release further cited whistleblower testimony detailing retaliation against intelligence personnel who challenged prevailing assessments regarding COVID-19's origins. According to the statement, some analysts faced professional pressure, reduced career opportunities, or other forms of marginalization after expressing support for the lab-leak hypothesis.

Gabbard described the document release as part of a broader transparency initiative aimed at examining intelligence assessments, government decision-making, and public communications during the pandemic. She stated that evidence gathered during the review had been referred to the Intelligence Community Inspector General for further examination.

The Russian Defense Ministry linked the ODNI disclosures to its broader claims concerning U.S.-funded biological research programs abroad, arguing that both sets of documents demonstrate insufficient oversight of sensitive biological research activities. U.S. officials have not publicly endorsed Russia's interpretation of the materials, and the allegations remain the subject of ongoing international dispute.