Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testifies during a House Select Intelligence Committee hearing to assess worldwide threats in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 19, 2026. (Heather Diehl / Getty Images)Outgoing U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's declassification of intelligence that she claims reveals U.S. funding for biological laboratories, including in Ukraine, was quickly amplified by Russian propaganda bot networks, the Kyiv Independent has learned.The claims themselves are hardly new. Russian propaganda outlets have pushed variations of the same narrative for years, and Gabbard herself promoted similar allegations before joining the Trump administration.Information shared with the Kyiv Independent suggests the release provided a fresh push for pro-Kremlin influence operations, which seized on the alleged revelations and repackaged them for global audiences.Gabbard has been here beforeThe controversy traces back to the earliest days of Russia's all-out war.In 2022, Russian officials claimed the U.S. was funding biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine, using the accusation as part of an effort to justify its war.The existence of U.S.-funded laboratories in Ukraine has never been secret.For decades, Washington has funded programs to secure dangerous pathogens and prevent the proliferation of biological threats.The initiative emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when concerns grew about the security of former Soviet research facilities and hazardous biological materials.Some of those facilities were located in Kyiv, Tbilisi, and other cities across the former Soviet Union.The U.S. State Department publicly explained the program as early as April 2020."Here in Ukraine, the U.S. Department of Defense's Biological Threat Reduction Program works with the Ukrainian government to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern in Ukrainian government facilities, while allowing for peaceful research and vaccine development," the statement reads.“We also work with our Ukrainian partners to ensure Ukraine can detect and report outbreaks caused by dangerous pathogens before they pose security or stability threats.”Notably, the page is now unavailable under the new administration.Russia transformed those publicly known centers into a conspiracy theory.The Kremlin claimed that a network of more than 30 laboratories was conducting secret research into deadly pathogens and biological weapons under U.S. supervision.In March 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the allegations.Still, the claims were amplified by several prominent figures in the United States, including podcasters Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon.Russian-translated Tucker Carlson's show broadcasted on Russian TV channel. (Russia 24 Channel)Then a former congresswoman, Tulsi Gabbard, echoed parts of the narrative."Here are the undeniable facts: There are 25 to 30 U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine… these biolabs are conducting research on dangerous pathogens," she said in 2022.Gabbard later argued that she was not accusing either Ukraine or the U.S. of wrongdoing and was just expressing concern about the laboratories' security.Still, her comments sparked bipartisan criticism from lawmakers, who argued she was repeating claims that closely mirrored Russian propaganda.The controversy also earned Gabbard praise on Russian state television.Despite the backlash and her previous promotion of conspiracy claims, U.S. President Donald Trump later nominated her to spearhead the country’s intelligence.A 'declassification' that reveals little newGabbard's office released documents that it said demonstrate the U.S. government's "longstanding" funding of more than 120 biological laboratories in over 30 countries conducting research involving pathogens, including some "dangerous" ones.In a June 12 statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the network includes laboratories in Ukraine and warned that some facilities "may be at risk of compromise due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war."The release included a four-page presentation, portions of which were redacted.Slides released by Gabbard’s office claim to detail U.S. government funding for more than 120 biological research labs worldwide. Pt.1. (Office Of The Director Of National Intelligence)Slides released by Gabbard’s office claim to detail U.S. government funding for more than 120 biological research labs worldwide. Pt.2. (Office Of The Director Of National Intelligence)Slides released by Gabbard’s office claim to detail U.S. government funding for more than 120 biological research labs worldwide. Pt.3. (Office Of The Director Of National Intelligence)Slides released by Gabbard’s office claim to detail U.S. government funding for more than 120 biological research labs worldwide. Pt.4. (Office Of The Director Of National Intelligence)According to Gabbard's office, some laboratories in Ukraine may have housed dangerous pathogens under conditions where they could have been exposed to Russian attacks, seizure, or damage during Moscow's war against Kyiv.The documents reference pathogens linked to diseases like tularemia, Ebola, and Marburg virus disease (MVD)."Despite the obvious potential for catastrophic global impact… entities within the Biden administration's national security team lied to the American people about the existence of U.S.-funded and supported biolabs," Gabbard said in a press release.Yet the facilities themselves are publicly known and operate as part of international disease monitoring and biosafety efforts.The U.S. government has never denied their existence. In practice, Gabbard's release repeated arguments that Russian officials have promoted for years.The controversy deepened further when conservative activist Laura Loomer, who has become increasingly critical of Russia despite, published her own review of the materials.