What follows are highlights from the trove of leaked US government documents that appeared on the internet sometime last month, including a handful of the documents themselves, reporting on the material, my own observations, as well as official statements and reactions.
Pentagon probing leaked docs on US/NATO war planning in Ukraine, some marked 'Top Secret.'https://t.co/xLGeIuiJnK
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 7, 2023
More here.
I'd take all of this with grains of salt given the apparent fuckery on at least one of the documents. It's interesting nonetheless, and the DoD seems to have confirmed that authentic briefing slides were in fact leaked. pic.twitter.com/q17MkyOrnY
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 7, 2023
Here's one for now – the slide on Bakhmut which was said to have first appeared on 4chan.
That's where I found it, but can't say whether it was posted anywhere else beforehand.
Again, at least one other doc appears to have been altered. I'd take all of this with skepticism. pic.twitter.com/93sugtObyM
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 8, 2023
Corporate media wringing its hands because the government doesn't have the power to scrub the internet of whatever content it wants.
Same rationale invoked by CNN would apply to the Pentagon Papers, the Snowden leaks, anything WikiLeaks has put out, etc.https://t.co/KHygklruPi
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 11, 2023
More leaked documents: pic.twitter.com/Zfe7HBatRN
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 11, 2023
WaPo today cites one "top secret" file highlighting US doubts about Ukraine's upcoming counteroffensive.
Warns of "enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies," as well as "force generation and sustainment shortfalls."https://t.co/srG8puX1S2
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 11, 2023
One especially interesting detail on a doc titled “Russia/Ukraine Joint Staff J3/4/5 Daily Update” (see above for full doc) at least *appears* to list the number of US / NATO special operations troops on the ground in Ukraine.
Far as I understand, "pax" = persons or personnel. pic.twitter.com/nf1cDyszlE
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 11, 2023
NBC, NYT, Reuters, et. al. each say they reviewed "more than 50" of the docs. Unclear why they'd all have the same number when the total was said to be 100+.
Few other interesting takeaways noted by Axios related to US spying on its own allies:https://t.co/oJgbTTq90j pic.twitter.com/ZBxC5FE4DZ
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 11, 2023
To get an idea of what the Russian military bloggers are saying about the leaks, here's Rybar's take.
Another Russian channel, 'Military Chronicle,' also has analysis – https://t.co/gYX3NJlLnS
Just presenting multiple viewpoints.https://t.co/TantnNoPrK
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 11, 2023
Two docs seen by NBC detail Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian and Belarusian territory, after Kiev previously said it had no interest in such attacks.https://t.co/aBvAmEj6W1
Asked about that on Tuesday, Sec. Blinken declined to comment.https://t.co/XVg1zp2mTU pic.twitter.com/uKzIUwNCCL
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 12, 2023
^It should be noted that April 6 is the same day the Times published its initial report about the leaks.
The United States 'intelligence community' includes no less than 18 separate agencies. I guess it's a good thing one of them reads the NYT.
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 12, 2023
You can read the Post report with no paywall here: https://t.co/UTb7qB6T5P
The leaker was said to have worked at an unspecified military base. I don't imagine it'd be all that difficult for the government to narrow down which one. pic.twitter.com/JN10VAxtga
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 13, 2023
Thought I was able to add multiple videos to one tweet, but apparently not. Will have to do the three clips separately. pic.twitter.com/bJdG8setYA
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 13, 2023
The Times has ID’d the likely leaker as Jack Teixeira, an airman with the 102nd Intelligence Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
He’s who the Post referred to as “OG,” the guy who ran the Discord server that initially hosted the docs.https://t.co/UpeUUTjEr9
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 13, 2023
Brief statement on the arrest from AG Merrick Garland.
Says FBI agents took Teixeira into custody “without incident.” https://t.co/k5CwEEFLCP
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 13, 2023
I do find this pretty strange, but I’m keeping an open mind.
Some servicemen might have access to more than you’d think they would, but agree the whole story sounds a bit fishy.
That a low-ranking airman could get his hands on top secret files does demand an explanation. https://t.co/yNIHb0A0lS
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 13, 2023
A leaked Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment raises doubts about the potential for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine this year, suggesting both sides will make only "marginal" gains.
Concludes a stalemate is “the most likely scenario.”https://t.co/gGFXxJrIyu pic.twitter.com/v5Cf1bFaE9
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 14, 2023
National Security Council spox John Kirby recently addressed the doc suggesting a US Special Forces presence in Ukraine.
“There has been no change to the president’s mandate that there will not be American troops in Ukraine fighting in this war.”https://t.co/djmmjeGKaE pic.twitter.com/Z91EbvnKaB
— Will Porter (@TheWillPorter) April 15, 2023
Follow me at @TheWillPorter for more updates.
