11.04.2023
At least 50 Pentagon documents, partly secret, have recently surfaced on the internet. These are different relevant geopolitical events and force the US government to give an explanation.
How did the documents get on the internet?
At the beginning of March, some of the documents were first released on Discord, a very popular social network among gamers. The server where the data first appeared, and which was shut down, was actually dedicated to the popular game “Minecraft,” and to a Filipino YouTube star. Bellingcat’s research network contacted some of the participants in the Discord community. According to them, many other documents have been posted on other Discord servers in recent months. Since these servers have now been shut down as well, those claims might not be verified.
Until now, several dozen documents have been made public, ranging from Discord to the 4Chan platform, where you can share photos anonymously and without having to register. From there they were shared in Twitter, and especially on pro-Russian Telegram channels. About a month following the original post on Discord, the documents attracted worldwide media attention
What do the documents contain?
The documents come from Ministry of Defence of the United States and contain additional reports from different secret services, such as the CIA and the US Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, that is, from the national authority for mapping evaluation and clarification. They allow a glimpse into the way the US collects its secret data and also what the authorities think regarding the different geostrategic developments in the world.
Russia/Ukraine: Especially explosive are the detailed information on the development of the war in the east of Ukraine. There are maps of Bakhmut and Kharkov, as well as some kind of schedule for the shipment of ammunition from the West. According to this information, the Ukrainian forces are much weaker than previously claimed. And Washington would be worried that Ukraine might not defend itself once morest a new Russian offensive. There would be bumps in the Ukrainian air defense, and an ammunition shortage is expected in May. But, at the same time, the US would infiltrate even the highest circles of the Russian Army and the Russian paramilitaries of the Wagner Group, in order to inform Kiev in time regarding possible Russian attacks.
The papers also outline the escalation level at which China would be willing to supply Russia with weapons: presumably, as soon as Ukraine carries out an attack on Russian soil. Another document would reveal that the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, considered sending artillery shells and ammunition to Russia, under strict secrecy, to “avoid problems with the West.” The Wagner Group would have requested arms and military equipment from Turkey for its activities in Ukraine and Mali, although it is not clear if the Ankara government was aware of it.In South Korea, on the other hand, a major dispute broke out over the delivery of artillery ammunition to Ukraine following a request from the United States. Until now, Seoul has not provided any military support to Kiev.
Iran: According to the leaks, the US secret services monitor both the Iranian nuclear program and Iran’s security apparatus with the help of information from the highest levels.
Israel: Supposedly, senior Mossad executives have spoken out in favor of the protests once morest the justice reform in the country and actively calling for condemnation of the new extreme-right government in Jerusalem. The Israeli government immediately denied that, pointing to the traditional political neutrality of its secret service.
Haiti: Small countries with less international political relevance are also targeted by the published documents. A report reveals that representatives of the Russian Wagner group secretly traveled to Haiti in February to negotiate with the current government regarding possible support in the fight once morest rampant violence by criminal gangs.
In addition, there are reports on the political situation in Canada, Great Britain and Hungary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky here during US President Joe Biden’s visit to kyiv in mid-February.
Is it authentic information?
The leaked documents contain explosive information until the end of February 2023. Even the Pentagon assumes the authenticity of the documents. However, Bellingcat managed to prove that at least part of the information has been modified following the fact, especially following appearing on pro-Russian Telegram channels. The aim of these forgeries was apparently to exaggerate Russia’s military might, and dwarf Ukraine’s. It is assumed that Russian Telegram users falsified that data, and that it is unlikely that a Russian secret service did it.
Who is behind the leaks?
So far there is no concrete evidence. The US Department of Justice is still investigating. Despite being classified as “secret,” several hundred people may have accessed the documents.
Speculation that this might be a deliberate release by the US to mislead is unrealistic. The diplomatic damage around the world is too great, as many of Washington’s allies have reacted angrily.
So far, there is also no evidence that pro-Russian hackers got hold of the data. German cybersecurity expert Thomas Rid, who is conducting research in the US, believes this was an inadvertent mistake. He was able to see most of the images himself. In an interview with the radio Deutschlandfunk, spoke of photos of printed documents, almost all of which were “folded”. Around the photographed documents you might see other objects such as a knife, a broken iPhone or a telescope manual. According to Rid, someone may have accidentally found these documents, photographed them, and posted them online without thinking regarding the repercussions. The unusual distribution channel via the gaming network Discord would also fit in with this. However, it is not clear how this person appropriated the documents.
What is the impact of the publications?
The damage is already considerable: US government circles are talking regarding the most serious betrayal of state secrets since the Wikileaks case in 2013. Several friendly governments have also reacted angrily. US broadcaster CNN reported that Ukraine had already had to change some military plans. At the same time, kyiv officials are trying to downplay the significance of the data breach.
The South Korean government has labeled most of the documents concerning them as “false.” Israel’s prime minister also described the country-related information regarding him as “unfounded” and “false.” The Russian government, in turn, denied any involvement in the publication of the documents. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov noted that these are “quite interesting” and are now being “thoroughly analyzed and discussed.”
(cp/ers)