Dozens of classified US military documents were leaked online which not only exposed sensitive state secrets but also gave a glimpse into how the United States gathers information.
The leaked documents were about Ukraine's military strength and potential shortfall of arms and ammunition. The documents also had warnings that Beijing could supply lethal weapons to Russia if Ukraine steps up attack using NATO arms.
The leaking of these documents reveal how deeply US intelligence has penetrated into Russian military to warn Ukraine about Moscow's war strategy. Now the Pentagon confirmed that these leaked documents appear to contain sensitive information but it also doesn't rule out possibility of doctoring. Meanwhile, Moscow said the leaks might be a deliberate attempt to mislead Russia's offensive.
According to Mark Cancian, Senior Adviser at Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), leaking of such classified documents is embarrassing for United States and its allies involved in Ukraine war.
"The leaking of these documents is embarrassing. There is a lot of very candid information in there which is embarrassing not just to Ukraine but to other allies — Egypt, South Korea, Israel. There is nothing in there that hasn't already been commented on in the open press, it is not as if there is new information. What is embarrassing though is that it is coming from the United States government, particularly at a time when the United States government is trying to portray solidarity with Ukrainians and a lot of optimism about their future," Cancian said.
Cancian believes the leaking of classified documents will not hamper Ukraine's ability to fight back.
"The leaking of these documents will not hamper Ukraine's ability to fight back. Ukraine's ability to fight back is going to be driven by three things — first is the weapons and ammunitions that United States and others are sending to Ukraine and that is not going to be slowing down at all, in fact that flow is continuing. Second, it is also going to be affected by the training that the Ukrainians are receiving from the NATO and the United States and that is continuing, third, is by the determination of the Ukrainian people which is not affected. So, it is not going to have an effect on the Ukrainian counter offensive," Cancian said.
(Edited by : Pradeep John)
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