Wed 12 Apr 2023:
The leak of a trove of extremely sensitive papers online could be an attempt by the US to “deceive” Russia, its deputy foreign minister said Wednesday.
“It’s probably interesting for someone to look at these documents, if they really are documents or they could be a fake or it could be an intentional leak,” Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news agencies.
“Since the US is a party to the (Ukraine) conflict and is essentially waging a hybrid war against us, it is possible that such techniques are being used to deceive their opponent, the Russian Federation,” he said.
Top secret Pentagon files leaked online in recent weeks provide sensitive details on a range of security topics, including on Ukraine, China, and the middle East, as well as alleged US spying on officials in allied countries, such as South Korea.
US concerns regarding Ukraine’s ability to continue defending against Russian attacks were highlighted in leaked documents, while the Washington Post stated that another document raised doubts about the success of an anticipated offensive by Kyiv’s military.
According to The Guardian newspaper, US officials once claimed that there were 97 special forces personnel from NATO nations working in Ukraine, including 50 British soldiers.
CIA Director William Burns said the latest leak of classified Pentagon documents is deeply unfortunate and something the US takes very seriously.
“The deeply unfortunate leak of classified documents is certainly as intense as anything… it’s something that the US government takes extremely seriously,” Burns said in remarks at Rice University’s Baker Institute on Tuesday.
US Government Probe Into Classified Document Leaks Could Take Months
The US government’s investigation into the leak of classified Defense Department documents on the conflict in Ukraine could take months to finish, CNN reported on Tuesday.
An interagency investigation into the leaks, headed by the Office of Intelligence and Security, could take months to complete, the report said, citing three US officials.
The Defense Department’s side of the probe will look into whether any intelligence sources or methods were compromised as a result of the leaks, which contained documents with classified markings, the report said.
The Justice Department will focus on investigating who may have been behind the leaks, the report said.
Dozens of photographs of documents — some of which also revealed that the US was conducting espionage not only on its opponents but also allies, such as South Korea, which sparked deep concern among US officials, who think that the situation might endanger the US’s sources and undermine important international ties.
Many of the documents are no longer available on the sites where they first appeared, and Washington is reportedly working to have them removed.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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