US documents , some of them top secret, that have been leaked and posted online, detail Washington´s views on the war in Ukraine , and appear to indicate intelligence gathering on a number of close US allies.
And the US Department of Defense (The Pentagon) considered that the disclosure of classified documents represents a "very serious danger" to US national security, and the Ministry of Justice opened a criminal investigation.
However, the US authorities have not publicly confirmed the authenticity of these video documents that are circulating on various sites, nor have independent sources.
Below is a glimpse of the content of documents seen by AFP.
- The outcome of the war in Ukraine -One of the documents deals with the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine on March 1, 2023, that is, a little more than a year after the start of the war, and the Russian losses are estimated at between 35,500 and 43,500 dead, compared to 16,000 to 17,500 on the Ukrainian side.
Moscow also lost, according to the same source, more than 150 aircraft and helicopters, compared to more than 90 aircraft for Kiev.
Another version of the document, apparently amended, to the contrary estimates that Ukrainian losses are higher than Russian losses.
This discrepancy confirms the Pentagon´s fears that this leak may "feed misinformation," according to the ministry.
- Lack of anti-aircraft missiles -Two documents dated February 28 illustrate the alarming state of Ukraine´s air defenses, which have so far played a decisive role in fending off Russian strikes and preventing Moscow from controlling airspace.
They said that Kiev´s ability to maintain medium-range air defenses to protect the front line "will be reduced to zero by May 23."
One of them states that approximately 90 percent of Ukraine´s medium- and long-range defenses consist of Soviet-era SA-11 and SA-10 systems that may run out of ammunition in late March and early May, respectively.
- Intention to launch drone strikes in Russia -An undated document states that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed to his top generals his regret that the Ukrainian army does not have long-range missiles that would allow direct targeting of enemy forces on Russian territory, and suggested at the end of February Carrying out such strikes with drones.
This information, which appears to indicate Washington eavesdropping on a close partner, could partly explain the US reluctance to provide Kiev with the long-range weapons it requests. But American hesitation predates the history of this statement.
- Israel Demonstrations -Another undated document says that leaders of the Mossad, Israel´s intelligence service, encouraged agency officials and ordinary citizens to protest Israel´s controversial judicial reform.
Here, too, it seems that the source of this information - by looking at electronic communications - refers to US espionage operations against an allied country.
Concern about South Korean munitionsSouth Korea´s National Security Council fears that the United States may transfer to Kiev certain munitions that the Pentagon ordered from Seoul, which contradicts South Korea´s desire to refrain from supplying lethal equipment to Ukraine, according to a document dealing with an exchange that took place on the 1st of September. March between two South Korean officials.
The leak, which suggested that Washington was spying on a close ally, sparked criticism in South Korea, where the opposition called on Wednesday for an investigation. President Yoon Suk Yul´s office responded by calling the wiretapping charges "ridiculous lies."
Monitoring the Black Sea -A document dated February 27 describes reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea carried out by the United States, the United Kingdom, France and NATO from late September to late February using manned or unmanned aircraft.
About two weeks after writing this document, Washington accused the Russian military of intercepting and damaging an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea, which Moscow denied.
Key points: What do the leaked classified US documents contain?
