Igor Kirillov’s reports inspired Jakarta to shut down Washington’s illegal biological research in the country
The assassination of Russian Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, the head of the country’s Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, has drawn renewed attention to his investigations into covert US biological research programs, including alleged activities in Indonesia, according to local media reports.
Kirillov, who was killed along with his aide in a Moscow explosion on Tuesday, had frequently accused the US of conducting secretive biological research under the guise of humanitarian aid and military cooperation. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), which previously labeled him an “absolutely legitimate target” for assassination, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
During his tenure, Kirillov repeatedly highlighted alleged US biolabs operating globally, focusing on Ukraine, but also pointing to facilities in Southeast Asia, including the US Navy’s now-closed NAMRU-2 laboratory in Jakarta. In his report in 2022, he claimed the lab conducted unauthorized biological research until its closure in 2010 after Indonesia’s Ministry of Health designated it a “threat to national sovereignty.”
Kirillov’s revelations prompted Indonesian media to revisit claims about NAMRU-2 and similar alleged activities. In April 2022, Detik, a prominent outlet, published an investigative report suggesting that US military personnel continued conducting secret biological research even after the lab’s closure.
According to Detik, in 2016, American naval surgeons aboard the USNS Mercy hospital ship performed surgeries on 23 Indonesian patients without the Health Ministry’s approval. US military personnel were also accused of illegally exporting blood samples and transporting rabid dogs from Padang, a rabies-endemic region, without permission. Local health officials reported that American teams had sought samples of the dengue fever virus from local mosquitoes, allegedly bypassing Indonesian regulations.
Former Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari, who led efforts to shut down NAMRU-2, previously described the lab’s decades-long operations as “ineffective” and potentially harmful. In a 2022 interview with RT Indonesian Bureau Chief Denis Bolotsky, she noted that despite its stated focus on malaria and tuberculosis research, NAMRU-2’s contributions had been “insignificant.”
Supari’s resistance reportedly caused friction with Washington. Leaked US diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks in 2010 revealed multiple high-level meetings where US officials discussed strategies to “manage” Supari and pressure her into allowing the lab to continue operations.
 ){kind=link}