Politics

Pentagon investigating alleged classified documents circulating on social media of US and NATO intelligence on Ukraine

Washington(CNN) The Pentagon is investigating what seem like screenshots of classified US and NATO army details about Ukraine circulating on social media, a Pentagon official instructed CNN.

CNN has reviewed some of the photographs circulating on Twitter and Telegram however is unable to confirm if they’re genuine or have been doctored. US officers say the documents are actual slides, half of a bigger every day intelligence deck produced by the Pentagon concerning the struggle, but it surely seems the documents have been edited in some locations.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh wouldn’t weigh in on the documents’ legitimacy however stated in an announcement that the Defense Department is “aware of the reports of social media posts, and the Department is reviewing the matter.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, the adviser to the pinnacle of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated on his Telegram channel he believes the Russians are behind the purported leak. Podolyak stated the documents that have been disseminated are inauthentic, have “nothing to do with Ukraine’s real plans” and are based mostly on “a large amount of fictitious information.”

The emergence of the documents, whether or not real or not, has heightened focus on when the planned Ukrainian counteroffensive will start and what, if something, both aspect is aware of concerning the different’s preparations for it.

One picture that has been circulating on Russian Telegram channels and was reviewed by CNN is a photograph of a tough copy of a doc titled “US, Allied & Partner UAF Combat Power Build.” The doc, which is from February and marked as secret, lists the quantities of sure Western weapons methods that Ukraine presently has on hand, estimated supply of extra methods and the coaching Ukraine has or is anticipated to finish on the methods.

Another is titled “Russia/Ukraine Joint Staff J3/4/5 Daily Update (D+370)” and is listed as secret. J3 refers back to the operations directorate of the US army’s joint employees, J4 offers with logistics and engineering, and J5 proposes methods, plans and coverage suggestions. “D+370” refers back to the date the doc was produced: 370 days after the primary day of the Russian invasion.

A 3rd doc is a map, listed as prime secret, that reveals the standing of the battle as of March 1. The map reveals Russian and Ukrainian battalion places and sizes, in addition to complete assessed losses on each side. The casualty numbers on this doc are what officers imagine was doctored — the Russian losses are literally far greater than the “16,000-17,500 killed in action” listed on the doc, officers stated.

The doc additionally says that 61,000-71,500 Ukrainians have been killed in motion, a quantity that officers stated additionally appeared edited to be greater than precise Pentagon estimates.

A fourth doc is a climate projection from February, listed as Secret, that assesses the place the bottom might freeze in Ukraine in a means that might be favorable for automobile maneuver.

The New York Times, which first disclosed the Pentagon investigation, reported that some of the photographs circulating on-line describe intelligence that might be helpful to Russia, corresponding to how shortly the Ukrainians are expending munitions utilized in US-provided rocket-systems.

Podolyak known as the documents “a bluff, dust in your eyes” and stated that “if Russia really did receive real scenario preparations, it would hardly make them public.”

“Russia is looking for any way to seize the information initiative, to try to influence the scenario plans for Ukraine’s counteroffensive,” he stated. “To raise doubts, compromise previous ideas and frighten with their ‘awareness.’ But these are just standard elements of the Russian intelligence’s operational game and nothing more. It has nothing to do with Ukraine’s real plans.”

Podolyak added that Russian troops “will get acquainted” with Ukraine’s actual counteroffensive plans “very soon.”

Asked concerning the photographs circulating on Twitter and Telegram, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov instructed CNN in an announcement that “we don’t have the slightest doubt about direct or indirect involvement of the United States and NATO in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.”

“This level of involvement is rising, is rising gradually,” he stated. “We keep our eye on this process. Well, of course, it makes the whole story more complicated, but it cannot influence the final outcome of the special operation.”

This story has been up to date with extra particulars.

CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Nick Paton Walsh and Zack Cohen contributed to this report.

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