Top secret US intelligence docs revealing Ukraine spring offensive against Russia shared online sparking Pentagon probe
CLASSIFIED US intelligence documents revealing Ukraine's plans ahead of a planned spring offensive against Russia have been leaked.
The top secret military documents that contained details of US and Nato plans to help Ukraine prepare, were shared on Twitter and on Telegram.
The Pentagon has launched an investigation into who may be behind the leak of the documents, the reported.
"We are aware of the reports of social media posts, and the Department is reviewing the matter," Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.
The documents reportedly contain charts and details about weapons deliveries, battalion strengths and other sensitive information, the Times said.
Information in the documents is at least five weeks old, with the most recent dated March 1, the report said.
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One of the documents summarised the training schedules of 12 Ukraine combat brigades, and said nine of them were being trained by US and NATO forces, and needed 250 tanks and more than 350 mechanized vehicles.
The documents-at least one of which carried a "top secret" label - were circulated on pro-Russian government channels.
Information in the documents also details expenditure rates for munitions under Ukraine military control, including for the HIMARS rocket systems, the US-made artillery rocket systems that have proven highly effective against Russian forces, it added.
The report quoted military analysts who warned that some documents appear to have been altered in a disinformation campaign by Russia, in one document inflating Ukrainian troop deaths and minimising Russian battlefield losses.
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The documents that Biden officials has been trying to delete, do not contain any specific details about the time, or the location of Ukraine's spring offensive- with American officials estimating it will be in the next month or so.
Analysts said on Friday it'd be difficult to access the impact of the leak on the frontline.
It remains unclear how the documents ended up on social media- military analysts said they have been shared by pro-Russian government channels.
However experts have warned to be wary as the documents could have been released by Russian sources to spread misinformation.
Michael Kofman, the director of Russian studies at CNA told the newspaper: "Whether these documents are authentic or not, people should take care with anything released by Russian sources."
But analysts said that parts of the documents appeared authentic and would provide Russia with valuable information such as delivery of weapons and troops and other military details.
Meanwhile the battle continues in the city of of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where Russia has captured the west bank of the Bakhmutka River, threatening a key supply route for Ukrainian forces to the west, according to British intelligence.
The British defence ministry said in a statement: "In recent days, Russian forces have regained some momentum in the battle for Bakhmut. Since late March 2023 their advance had largely stalled.
"Russia has made further gains and has now highly likely advanced into the town centre, and has seized the west bank of the Bakhmutka River. Ukraine's key 0506 supply route to the west of the town is likely severely threatened.
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"Russian regular forces, likely including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area, and Russia is again using artillery more effectively in the sector.
"There is realistic possibility that, locally, Wagner and Russian MoD commanders have paused their ongoing feud and improved co-operation."