On Sunday, officials in Ukraine downplayed the significance of leaked Pentagon documents related to the country’s war effort. The documents, which were initially reported on by The New York Times and subsequently circulated on social media platforms like Twitter, contain information about various military activities, including the deployment of U.S. drone spy planes and the use of ammunition by Ukrainian forces. The documents also reveal plans by the United States and NATO to bolster the Ukrainian military in preparation for a spring counteroffensive, as well as intelligence on weapons deliveries.
In response to the leaks, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate, appeared on Ukrainian television and stated that an initial analysis of the materials indicated that “false, distorted figures on losses on both sides” were present. Yusov went on to say that much of the information was not current and seemed to have been obtained from publicly available sources.
Yusov claimed that the most effective operations carried out by Russian special services occurred within the realm of Photoshop.
The French Defense Ministry disputed the validity of the classified papers, refuting claims that French troops were deployed on the ground in Ukraine and denying that the information originated from the French military.
President Zelenskyy’s office issued a statement affirming their dedication to preventing further breaches of military plans, while the Justice Department, acting on the Pentagon’s request, initiated an investigation to determine the source of the leak and hold those responsible for the intelligence breach accountable.
According to recently leaked Pentagon documents and U.S. officials cited by the New York Times, the direction of the conflict could shift if Ukraine does not receive additional missiles. Russian warplanes, which have been successfully neutralized thus far, could pose a threat.
The leaked documents predict that Ukrainian missile supplies could run out as early as mid-April, and that most of the ammunition used for air defense could be exhausted by May. It remains unclear whether this projection, which was dated February 28th, has been updated since then.
