The United States’ national security is at “very serious” risk following the apparent leak of highly sensitive US documents related to the Ukraine conflict, according to the Pentagon. The breach is being investigated by the Justice Department and includes secret information on the war in Ukraine, as well as sensitive analyses of US allies. The documents circulating online pose a threat to national security, and there are concerns they could spread disinformation, said Chris Meagher, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs.
“We’re still investigating how this happened, as well as the scope of the issue. There have been steps to take a closer look at how this type of information is distributed and to whom,” Meagher told journalists. He declined to comment on whether the documents are genuine, saying a Pentagon team is working to make that assessment, but noted that images circulating online seemed to show sensitive information.
A steady drip of dozens of photographs of documents has been found on Twitter, Telegram, Discord, and other sites in recent days, though some may have circulated online for weeks, if not months, before they began to receive media attention last week. Many of them are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared, and the United States is reportedly continuing to work to have them removed.
Meagher said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was not briefed on the issue until the morning of April 6 – the day a New York Times story on the documents was published. US officials have been in touch with Washington’s international allies about the issue, and relevant congressional committees have been informed, the Pentagon said.
The documents cover a range of topics, including Ukraine’s air defenses, international efforts to build up its military forces, and US surveillance of its allies. One document states that leaders of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency advocated for domestic protests against a controversial judicial reform plan. The fallout from the apparent leak could be significant and potentially deadly, putting US intelligence sources at risk while giving the country’s foes valuable information.
“Disclosure of sensitive classified material can have tremendous implications not only for our national security but could lead to people losing their lives,” Meagher said. The Pentagon is currently investigating the extent of the breach and working to determine the authenticity of the leaked documents. The incident highlights the importance of safeguarding sensitive information and the need for increased vigilance in preventing future breaches.
