by Doug Wire at Stars and Stripes
The Defense Department is investigating a purported leak on social media of classified military documents that lay out details about U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine against invading Russian forces, a Pentagon official said Friday.
“We are aware of the reports of social media posts, and the department is reviewing the matter,” said Sabrina Singh, the deputy Pentagon press secretary.
The documents included “secret American and NATO plans for building up the Ukrainian military ahead of a planned offensive against Russian troops,” The New York Times reported Thursday. The documents were leaked on the social media sites Twitter and Telegram.
The materials posted online included maps of Ukraine, information on where troops are located and what kind of weapons are available to them, according to images of the purported secret documents. The materials are not high-quality scans, but rather crude photographs of physical documents. One is titled “U.S., Allied and Partner UAF Combat Partner Build” and another carries a “top secret” heading that reads “Status of the Conflict As of 1 Mar.”
The documents leaked online have not been authenticated by U.S. officials and Ukrainian leaders, who think the leak could be an attempt by Russia to spread disinformation.
“This is a bluff, dust in the eyes,” said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a translation of his social media channel. “[The leakers] are only trying to play destabilization, informationally and psychologically influence decision-makers.”
“Russia is looking for any way to intercept the information initiative, to try to influence the scenario plans of Ukraine’s counteroffensive,” he added. “To introduce doubts, to compromise previous ideas, to frighten. … This has nothing to do with Ukraine’s real plans.”
The purported leak comes at a time when…
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