Results of inspection of classified documents leak will be ready in 45 days – Pentagon
The US Department of Defense said on Monday, 17 April that it would have findings on the network leak of classified documents within 45 days.
Source: US Department of Defense, citing Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary,
Details: Singh said that Pentagon officials "continue to convene daily meetings to examine the scope and scale of this disclosure, as well as ensure that appropriate mitigation measures are being taken."
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has directed a comprehensive review of US Department of Defense security, programmes, and procedures in the matter of classified documents.
Singh stated that within 45 days, Austin will be provided with initial findings and recommendations to improve the department's policies and procedures related to the protection of classified information.
Background:
- On 7 April, The New York Times, citing sources in the White House, reported a data leak: allegedly classified military documents detailing US and NATO plans to build up the Ukrainian army before a planned counteroffensive had appeared on Twitter and Telegram. More and more documents are appearing in the media.
- Bellingcat investigators found that the classified data was distributed on 1 and 2 March on a Discord server called WowMao, but the original source may be even earlier.
- Associated Press journalists talked to users of the Discord platform, and they found out that the secret documents were allegedly distributed by a user with the nickname "Lucca", who may be a "child".
- The UK Defence Ministry warned of a "serious level of inaccuracy" in allegedly leaked US classified documents relating to the war in Ukraine.
- Ukraine has already changed some of its military plans because of the leaked classified US documents, and this is delaying its counteroffensive, according to media reports.
- The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the leak of a huge number of US intelligence documents, and the US State Department has stated that the incident with the publication of classified documents will not affect support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
- According to media reports, the leak of classified documents has caused a crisis in relations between the United States and its allies.
Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
