Tracing a Disinformation Campaign: The Case of “Biolabs in Ukraine”
June 13, 2026.
Comment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on Regular Manipulations Surrounding the Issue of Biological Laboratories in Ukraine
The Ukrainian side has noted another wave of manipulations regarding certain cooperation programs in the field of biosafety and public health in Ukraine.
We once again reject these groundless accusations and emphasize that Ukraine consistently fulfills its international obligations under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC). The Ukrainian side has never engaged in any activities related to the development, production, or stockpiling of biological weapons.
For many years, cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the field of biosafety has been aimed exclusively at strengthening the capabilities of the public health system, epidemiological surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, biosafety, and biosecurity. This refers to ordinary civilian activities that comply with international public health standards and practices, and are entirely unrelated to any military objectives.
The laboratory facilities involved in the relevant international technical assistance programs are diagnostic, scientific, or reference laboratories within the public health system, veterinary medicine, or other scientific institutions.
The narrative of alleged “laboratories for the development of biological weapons” is not new—Russia has used it in its propaganda for many years. At the same time, all Russian accusations have been repeatedly debunked at the international level.
For instance, in 2022, at the request of the Russian Federation under Article V of the BWC, an official consultative process was held with the participation of the States Parties to the Convention. During this process, all data regarding the relevant cooperation programs, their objectives, and implementation mechanisms were provided.
As a result of the consultations, the allegations regarding the supposed development of biological weapons or the operation of military biological programs in Ukraine found no confirmation whatsoever.
The relevant issues were also considered within the UN Security Council, where no evidence was presented to support the claims made by the Russian Federation.
In December 2023, Ukraine officially reaffirmed its position at the meeting of the States Parties to the BWC, emphasizing that the 2022 consultative process had comprehensively addressed these allegations, and that Ukraine’s cooperation with international partners in the field of public health fully complies with the provisions of the Convention.
Ukraine remains committed to the principles of transparency, international cooperation, and strengthening the global biosafety system. We call for reliance on the outcomes of international consultations and verified facts, rather than on distorted interpretations or Russian propaganda.
Russian allegations about U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine did not begin in 2026 or 2022.
2014–2015: Following the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Russian state media began regularly portraying the U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction Program and related biological research facilities in former Soviet states as suspicious.
2018: After the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, Russian officials and state media increasingly promoted claims about alleged “secret U.S. biolabs” in Ukraine and Georgia. The narrative was already being used as part of broader information campaigns.
2018–2021: Russian government officials, including the Foreign Ministry and military representatives, repeatedly alleged U.S. military-biological activities in Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan, without providing evidence of biological weapons programs.
Tulsi Gabbard timeline
March 9, 2022: Tulsi Gabbard publicly expressed concern about biological research facilities in Ukraine during a television interview.
March 13, 2022: She released a video stating that there were more than 25 U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine and argued that pathogens stored there should be secured because of the war.
March 2022: Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia dramatically escalated these accusations. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Ukraine was involved in biological weapons activities and that laboratories linked to the Pentagon were destroying pathogens to conceal evidence.
March 2022: Russia brought these allegations before the UN Security Council. The United States, Ukraine, and UN officials stated that they had found no evidence of a Ukrainian biological weapons program.
2025: Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed as U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI). During her confirmation process, critics revisited her 2022 statements about Ukrainian biolabs and other foreign policy positions, arguing that some of her past remarks aligned with Russian narratives. Gabbard rejected those accusations and stated that her comments had been misrepresented.
June 12, 2026: As one of her final acts before leaving office as Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard released declassified documents claiming that the U.S. government had funded more than 120 biological laboratories in over 30 countries, including Ukraine. She stated that some facilities worked with dangerous pathogens and argued that the existence and funding of these laboratories had not been fully disclosed to the public. The documents referenced U.S.-supported laboratories in Ukraine and their vulnerability during the ongoing war. The release reignited debate over a narrative that Russia had promoted for years before the full-scale invasion.
The map from Gabbard’s presentation displays a strikingly unprofessional level of geographic accuracy.
It uses the Soviet-era name “Dnipropetrovsk” instead of Dnipro city, includes a non-existent city called “Cherniv,” treats Zakarpattia — a region — as though it were a city, and contains locations that do not match Ukraine’s actual geography (wrong Kyiv location). These are not minor typographical errors but basic mistakes that would be unexpected in any professionally prepared analytical or intelligence product.
The “biolabs in Ukraine” narrative is a disinformation construct built on misrepresentation, contextual distortion, and recurring factual errors. It combines legitimate references to international public health cooperation with unsupported allegations of military biological activity.
Over time, this narrative has been repeatedly amplified despite the absence of credible evidence. Its persistence highlights how strategic misinformation can be maintained and adapted across years, evolving in form while remaining structurally disconnected from verified reality.
Well, my folks used to say, 'you're probably doing a lot "right" when a lesser person has to make up demeaning lies about you. The truth comes out "in the wash"... keep being you!!'
That's my take... and I hate to see this propaganda. Probably more of an admission of what 'they' are doing than anything about Ukraine. Keep doing all the good stuff you are doing!! Many of us see through this crap anyway....
If Russia is accusing Ukraine of operating biolabs for war purposes, they are projecting - as they often do. Projecting onto others what they are planning or already doing.