Looking for the mole in the Pentagon: ‘We will turn every stone’

After the publication of explosive US information about the war in Ukraine, the US government is trying to clarify and calm its allies.

“We will turn every stone over until we discover the cause and magnitude of the incident,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Washington on Tuesday. Both he and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said they had spoken with their Ukrainian counterparts.

Austin said he learned about the data breach last Thursday. “I was first informed of the reports of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive and classified material on the morning of April 6.” Since then he has consulted daily with the staff of his ministry and has taken immediate action. “We have referred the matter to the Justice Department, which has opened a criminal investigation.” He cannot comment further while the investigation is ongoing. But he stressed: “We take the matter very, very seriously.”

Foreign Minister Blinken said he spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday. “In our conversation, I reiterated, among other things, our continued support for Ukraine and its efforts to defend its territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.”

Apparently, secret documents from US agencies about Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine have been circulating on the Internet for weeks. American media have been reporting sensitive material about both warring parties for days without publishing the documents themselves. It is unclear who published the documents that were circulated on pro-Russian channels weeks ago. The research network Bellingcat proved that some of them were subsequently manipulated.

According to US media reports, the documents contain information about arms shipments to Ukraine and information about ammunition consumption. There are also Maps showing the course of the front and the locations of Russian and Ukrainian troops and their personnel Are. Information about it is also assumed NATO and US planslike the Ukrainian army on one spring offensive could be prepared.

A Pentagon spokesman described Monday’s release of the documents as a “very serious risk to national security.” The images that surfaced online resembled documents used to brief senior executives on a daily basis about Ukraine and Russia-related operations, Pentagon spokesman Chris Meagher said. “Some of these images appear to have been altered.” He called for caution in distributing the content. The disclosure of sensitive classified information could have “a huge impact, not only on our national security, but could also cause people to lose their lives.” (sda/dpa)