# Sverdlovsk Correspondence [Chronological correspondence](/sverdlovsk-chronology?admin_panel=1) Introduction Early in 1980, Dr. Meselson received a call from Julian Hoptman at the CIA asking him to come to Langley to consult on the matter of the Sverdlovsk anthrax epidemic. Hoptman was the principal working level person at the agency engaged with the problem. His immediate supervisor was David Boston. Meselson spent several days in Langley \[DATES NEEDED\]. There were no hotels in Langley at the time, so Hauptman welcomed Dr. Meselson into his home. This provided opportunity for less formal conversations over dinner and in the evening. Hoptman was a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient \[NO, NOT ON ANY LIST OF RECIPIENTS - SOME OTHER MEDAL?\] for his service in World War II. Hoptman held a Master's Degree in Microbiology from \[UNIVERSITY - CHECK THIS\]. Dr. Meselson believes he was shown everything Hauptman himself saw, including human intelligence (HUMINT). Upon returning to Cambridge, Dr. Meselson prepared this memo [Meselson 1980 memo to files on Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak](/file_url/253), summarizing the outstanding questions on his mind at that point. Meselson September 19xx summary of trip to Moscow US Government Telex Communications: [From US Mission Geneva to Sec State April 24, 1980](/file_url/3862) about potential bioweapons in Sverdlovsk [From US Mission Geneva to Sec State Jun 2, 1980](/file_url/3863) about potential bioweapons in Sverdlovsk [From US Mission NATO to Sec State Jan 15, 1982](/file_url/3864) about Soviet reports of anthrax [From Sec State to Embassy Moscow August 26, 1986](/file_url/3865) re Meselson Visit [Embassy Moscow to Sec State Aug 29, 1986](/file_url/3866) Meselson debrief 8 pgs [Embassy Moscow to Sec State Aug 29, 1986](/file_url/3867) Meselson debrief Unclassified 18 pgs [From Sec State to Embassies Moscow and Geneva Sep 17, 1986](/file_url/3868) Meselson visit to Washington Sept 12 1986 [From Dept State to Embassy Moscow Jan 21, 1988](/file_url/3869) Meselson visit to Moscow [From Embassy Moscow to Dept State Feb 1, 1988](/file_url/3870) about potential Meselson visit to Moscow [From Dept State to Embassy Moscow Jul 2, 1988](/file_url/3871) about Sverdlovsk and rising tensions [From Embassy Moscow to Sec State Jul 11, 1988](/file_url/3872) about bioweapons convention [From Embassy Moscow to Sec State Aug 12, 1988](/file_url/3873) about Sverdlovsk [From Sec State to Embassy Moscow May 18, 1989](/file_url/3874) about Sverdlovsk anthrax [From Embassy Moscow to Sec State May 19, 1989](/file_url/3875) about biological weapons convention [From Sec State to Embassy Moscow May 19 1989](/file_url/3876) about biological weapons convention [From Sec State to Amb Floweree Geneva May 14, 1990](/file_url/3877) about Sverdlovsk [From Embassy Moscow to Sec State Apr 14, 1992](/file_url/3878) about bioweapons [From Embassy Moscow to State Dept Jun 19, 1992 about Meselson visit](/file_url/3879) [Glenn Cross to Dept State May 31, 2001](/file_url/3880) Analyses of 1979 Sverdlovsk Antrhax Release Disputed All MM Congressional testimony regarding Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak: [Statement at hearings: 'Germ Wars'--Biological Weapons Proliferation and the New Genetics, Committee on Governmental Affairs and Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, U.S. Senate, 17 May 1989, pp 207-211, 498-503, 523-528. SUDOC: Y4.G74/9:S.hrg.101-744.](/file_url/120) [Statement at hearings: The Biological Weapons Act of 1989, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and International Law of the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives One Hundred First Congress, second session, on H.R. 237 and H.R. 4314, 1 May 1990, pp 50-64. SUDOC: Y4.J89/1:101/79.](/file_url/121) [Meselson to Donald E. Ellis February 12, 1981](/file_url/1069), requesting more information on visit [Ellis memorandum on Soviet Visit](/file_url/1070) on discussions with Gubanov Hughes Hoptman letters [Hughes to Meselson April 28, 1981](/file_url/1078) - re: publications on Sverdlovsk [Hughes to Meselson August 18, 1981](/file_url/1079) re: references [Meselson letter to Dumaev July 14, 1983](/file_url/254) - Proposal for Meselson to visit Sverdlovsk to Deputy Chairma, State Committee of the USSR for Science and Technology, following up on Geneva meeting8 Letter and sketch map of Sverdlovsk from CIA or MacMahon at CIA [Dumaev letter to Meselson October 27, 1983](/file_url/1062) Any Martin Kaplan letters mentioning Dioumayev [Kaplan to Diomayev July 25, 1983](/file_url/1059) - Kaplan letter re: proposal for Meselson to visit Sverdlovsk [Kaplan to Diomayev August 30, 1983](/file_url/1060) - Kaplan letter re: Acadamician Fokin and Acad, Velikhov on proposed Pugwash meeting in Soviet Union [Kaplan to Diomayev September 1, 1983](/file_url/1061) - Kaplan expressing disappointment no meeting in Venice, requesting yes or no answer [Kaplan to Meselson September 5, 1983](/file_url/266) - Agenda for proposed Pugwash meeting with Fokin, and Markov's feedback on Dioymayev's non-appearance in Venice. [Kaplan to Dioumayev November 13, 1983](/file_url/267) [Kaplan to Diomayev February 26, 1986](/file_url/1064) - Kaplan urging decision on proposed Meselson visit to Sverdlovsk [Kaplan to Fokin February 26, 1986](/file_url/1071) - re: proposed Meselson visit to Sverdlovsk [Fokin to Kaplan May 8 1986](/file_url/1072) - refusing proposal [Lederberg Memo October 23, 1986](/file_url/3237) - Josh Lederberg insights on Sverdlovsk, the CBW Convention [Kaplan to Chervov February 15, 1988](/file_url/1063) - Kaplan sharing schedule for June meeting, and describing timeline of communication re: permission for Meselson visit to Sverdlovsk [Mesleson to Adams October 6, 1988](/file_url/1065) - Meselson request for additional support from McArthur Foundation to pay for visit [Meselson to Kosenko November 4, 1988](/file_url/1066) - Meselson email to EV Kosenko, Chief, Foreign Relations, USSR Ministry of Health re: [Meselson to Chazov, September 30, 1988](/file_url/1067) requesting permission to visit Sverdlovsk Burgasov Letters (Deputy Minister of Health) [Meselson to Burgasov September 9, 198](/file_url/1074)6 summarizing Kaplan meeting in Geneva [Meselon to Burgasov September 30, 1986](/file_url/1076), discussing proposed methods for study in Sverdlovsk [Meselson to Burgasov April 21, 1987](/file_url/1075) - Proposing meeting in Moscow [Meselson to Burgasov June 9, 1987](/file_url/1077) - inviting Burgasov to Harvard to edit manuscript Chazov Letters [Meselson to Chazov September 30, 1988](/file_url/3331) - [Meselson to Kosenko and Chazov Novermber 4, 1988](/file_url/3332) - Federov Letters [Federov to Meselson December 30, 1988](/file_url/1073) - re: efforts to approve Meselson [Meselson Letter to Federov March 9, 1989](/file_url/256) [Shevardnadze draft August 1, 1990](/file_url/1080) - Bio EBB Document 7, Comrade Shevardnadze’s response to J. Baker’s memo on the subject of the Soviet biological warfare program for the Soviet-American meeting of ministers in Irkutsk [Bio EBB Document 8](/file_url/1081) - notes on Biological Weapons FBIS translation from Izvestia or Komsomolskaya Pravda telling that Yablokov has been asked by Yeltsin to investigate Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak [Kaplan to Goldanski June 5, 1989](/file_url/1068) - Martin Kaplan to Vitalii Goldanski, Soviet representative to Pugwash re: Meselson Sverdlovsk visit [Meselson Letter to Yablokov January 22, 1992](/file_url/257) Asking if Meselson can help him in investigation Letters in Russian from Yablokov to authorities in Moscow and/or Yelaterinberg and English translations [Yablokov Spravka 1991](/file_url/3857) - needs date re: outbreak attributed to meat [Yablokov to Yeltsin Month 2, 1991](/file_url/3858) - re: pensions [Yablokov to Rossel Month 2, 1992](/file_url/3859) - Introducing Dr. Meselson [Yablokov to Suetin March 26, 1992](/file_url/3860) - Introducing Dr. Mesleson and other members of the proposed expedition [Yablokov to Grachev](/file_url/3861) March 26, 1992 - Introducing Dr. Meselson and party Any further letters/correspondence with Yablokov: [Meselson to Yablokov January 22, 1992](/file_url/269) Letter/telex from Yablokov to me (the first one) [Yablokov letter to Meselson February 5, 1992](/file_url/259) Letter from Yablokov to me, the second one (on Hyatt Regency letterhead) [Meselson to Yablokov March 3, 1992](/file_url/268) [Yablokov to Meselson March 28, 1994](/file_url/270) Correspondence with Gubanov [Report on Ellis visits to Gubanov February 13, 1981](/file_url/3311) - Visits in 1974-75 and 1979-80 [Meselson to Gubanov April 2, 1992](/file_url/3312) - [Meselson to Gubanov April 3, 1992](/file_url/3313) - [Meselson to Gubanov April 14, 1992](/file_url/3314) - [Meselson to Gubanov April 22, 1992](/file_url/3315) - [Meselson to Gubanov April 23, 1992](/file_url/3316) - [Gubanov to Meselson July 7, 1992](/file_url/3317) - [Gubanov to Meselson July 20, 1992](/file_url/3318) - [Meselon to Borisov and Gubanov July 2, 1993](/file_url/3319) - [Meselson to Gubanov July 2, 1993](/file_url/3320) - [Gubanov to Meselson July 8, 1993](/file_url/3321) - [Meselson to Gubanov July 9, 1993](/file_url/3322) - [Meselson to Borisov and Gubanov August 9, 1993](/file_url/3323) - [Meselson to Gubanov August 13, 1993](/file_url/3324) - [Meselson to Gubanov August 13, 1993](/file_url/3325) - [Gubanov to Meselson August 18, 1993](/file_url/3326) - [Gubanov to Meselson September 13, 1993](/file_url/3327) - [Gubanov to Meselson September 30, 1993 ](/file_url/3328)- [Gubanov to Meselson April 8,1994](/file_url/3329) - Email re: working with university Suetin: [Suentin Letter to Meselson April 27, 1992](/file_url/258) - Welcome to Ekaterinburg [Suetin to Meselson](/file_url/3330) June 2, 1992 - in Russian Meselson response to Suetin My first letters/telexes to Borisov outlinding plans for visit to Yekaterinberg: [Meselson email to Borisov April 30 1992](/file_url/260) [Borisov email to Meselson May 4, 1992](/file_url/261) [Meselson email to Borisov May 5, 1992](/file_url/262) [Meselson email to Borisov May 19, 1992](/file_url/263) [Borisov email to Meselson May 21, 1992](/file_url/264) [Meselson email to Borisov May 22, 1992](/file_url/265) [Mishustina 1991 letter to Yeltsin and English translation](/file_url/255) Correspondence with Abramova and/or Grinberg: [Meselson email to Abramova and Grinberg August 13, 1992](/file_url/276) [Abramova and Grinberg email to Meselson September 1, 1992](/file_url/278) [Grinberg email to Meselson September 18, 1992](/file_url/277)