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Leak of secret Pentagon documents on Ukraine sparks probe, raises fears of more to come
The Justice Department is investigating the leak of secret Pentagon documents on Russia's war against Ukraine.
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WASHINGTON – The Justice Department is investigating the leak of secret documents from the Pentagon on the war effort in Ukraine that show sensitive data on military activities, including U.S. drone spy planes in the region and use of ammunition by Ukrainian forces.
The Justice Department, at the Pentagon's request, has launched an investigation of the leak and who is responsible for the intelligence breach. It's unclear, officials said Saturday, if more documents could be released or the motivation for leaking them.
“The Department of Defense is actively reviewing the matter, and has made a formal referral to the Department of Justice for investigation," Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon's deputy press secretary, said in a statement.
The leaks, first reported by The New York Times, include documents released on social media sites, including Twitter.
Detailed information on Ukrainian weaponry
One document appears to have come from the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It is dated March 1, and is labeled secret and not for distribution to foreign governments. It details U.S. forces in the region on the ground, air and at sea. The document also includes how many artillery shells Ukrainian forces have fired, including rocket-assisted missiles that have been used to devastating effect on Russian command posts and supply depots.
The Times also reported Saturday that more documents had been released that show the U.S. spying on allies.
Senior administration officials contacted Saturday by USA TODAY called the leaks worrisome, and said it's unclear if more will be released. The sources were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
Why did the documents about Ukraine leak online?
The second administration source called the leak an egregious betrayal of trust but speculated that the information released had limited value because it is several weeks old. The war changes rapidly, day by day, rendering the information a snapshot in time, the source said.
The motivation for the leaks is unclear, according to that source. It's possible that hundreds of people had access to the documents. The administration official said it could be an extremist who sympathizes with Russia and Vladimir Putin, or an ideologue bent on changing the course of the war, or a disloyal U.S. spy.
Those who spill U.S. government secrets face stiff penalties. Chelsea Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2013 for her role in leaking classified government material to WikiLeaks. President Barack Obama commuted her sentence in 2017.