US intelligence document leak is biggest in years. Who did it? What was in them?
By Ryan Robertson (Anchor, Investigative Reporter)
Media Landscape
This story is a Media Miss by the left as only 23% of the coverage is from left leaning media. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
U.S. scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on The HinduPentagon calls leak of highly classified intelligence ‘very serious’ risk to security
Click to see story on CBC NewsUS launches multi-agency search to find source of huge Ukraine document leak
Click to see story on The IndependentUS scrambles to find source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on Sydney Morning HeraldUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on The Korea TimesU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Japan TodayUS scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on Deccan HeraldUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on RapplerDOJ opens investigation into apparent leak of classified documents from Pentagon
Click to see story on AxiosUS searches for source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on EURACTIVWhat does the huge leak of Ukraine war documents tell us?
Click to see story on BBC NewsUS scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on ReutersUS searches for source that leaked Ukraine war, Mossad, China-related intel
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesU.S. searches for source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on CNBCUkraine cities pounded, Kyiv plays down fallout from leak of US documents
Click to see story on South China Morning PostUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Channel News AsiaUS Searches for Source of Highly Classified Intel Leak
Click to see story on VOA NewsUS scrambles to find source of leak of Ukraine war intel
Click to see story on Al JazeeraU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on The Japan TimesIntelligence leak has U.S. officials bracing for impact at home and abroad
Click to see story on The Globe & MailUS: Search on for source of highly classified intel leak – DW – 04/10/2023
Click to see story on Deutsche WelleUnited States searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on RNZUS searches for source of intelligence leak of Ukraine war plans
Click to see story on France24U.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on The PrintU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on DevdiscourseUkraine war: US searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Times of IndiaUS Searches for Source of Highly-Classified Intel Leak, Culprit Suspected to be American
Click to see story on News18 IndiaUkraine cities pounded, US scrambles to find source of leaked documents
Click to see story on Independent.ieIntel leak has U.S. officials bracing for impact at home and abroad
Click to see story on Financial PostIntel leak has US officials bracing for impact at home and abroad
Click to see story on Malay MailUkraine cities pounded, Kyiv plays down fallout from leak of US documents
Click to see story on Times LiveUS investigating leak of highly classified documents
Click to see story on The West AustralianUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Al ArabiyaUS probes alleged leak of Ukraine war documents
Click to see story on The Manila TimesTop secret intel leak has US officials bracing for fallout at home and abroad
Click to see story on Business LiveUS defense investigates source and consequences of leaked documents “invaluable”
Click to see story on Het Laatste NieuwsThe media reported difficulties in finding the source of leaked Pentagon documents
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]Internal source may be behind leak of US intelligence
Click to see story on berlingske.dkIntel Leak Has US Officials Bracing for Impact at Home and Abroad
Click to see story on The AlgemeinerU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on KnewzUkraine cities pounded, US scrambles to find source of leaked documents
Click to see story on The Star Kuala LumpurDOJ launches criminal investigation into apparent leaked ‘highly classified’ US intelligence
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerDOJ Races To Find Source of Leaked Pentagon Documents
Click to see story on Zero HedgeLeak of ‘highly classified material’ is being assessed by interagency team, Pentagon says
Click to see story on Fox NewsRight
Untracked Bias
U.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on FijiTimesUS investigating leak of highly classified documents
Click to see story on PerthNowLeak of classified US documents overshadows warfare
Click to see story on nordbayern.deUS evaluates risks linked to secret document leak
Click to see story on De TijdLeak classified documents. Ukraine revises counteroffensive plan
Click to see story on Do RzeczyUS Investigating Whether Ukraine War Documents Were Leaked
Click to see story on Greeneville Publishing CompanyUS mainly searches in-house for the source of leaked documents
Click to see story on De MorgenClassified Pentagon documents on Ukraine are leaked – Últimas Noticias
Click to see story on ultimasnoticias.com.veU.S. searches for source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on nordot.appUS scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on newarab.comAmerica is trying to identify the source of the leak of highly classified intelligence documents
Click to see story on almasalah.comThe Pentagon, the Department of Justice and the greater world of Western intelligence is still reeling after it was revealed classified U.S. military documents appeared online. During the week of April 9,, a former Pentagon official said the source of the U.S. document leak could be an American.
Classified Pentagon documents revealing sensitive information about US/NATO plans for the proxy war in Ukraine have leaked.
The documents show that there are allegedly 50 British and 14 US soldiers in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/mcMlfqWVZF
— MintPress News (@MintPressNews) April 7, 2023
Most of the world didn’t know about the documents until early April, but the Wall Street Journal reported the posts started showing up online in January. They initially appeared in a small chatroom on the social media platform Discord. The platform is mostly used by people who play video games to talk about gaming. The posts were eventually shared in different chat rooms and then wound up on Twitter and Telegram before being taken down.
The posts contained pictures of dozens of documents, including maps, pictures, and intelligence roundups apparently from the CIA. Some of the documents were dated from January and February, meaning they could have contained actionable intelligence. Many were marked classified or top secret. The information contained on the documents ranged from Ukraine’s air defense to Israel’s Mossad spy agency. Some documents even talked about the U.S. assessment of where and how Ukrainian troops should deploy for its much-anticipated spring counter-offensive.
Aside from Ukraine, the documents appeared to show the U.S. was spying on two of its other allies, Israel, and South Korea. The documents reportedly show the U.S. learned the Mossad was encouraging protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In another document, the U.S. apparently gathered intelligence on the internal debate in South Korea of whether it should supply Ukraine with 155 mm artillery rounds.
U.S. intelligence officials said because of the breadth of topics covered, and the fact many of the documents were only in U.S. hands, the source of the leaks could be an American.
🔴 A Russian fighter jet nearly brought down a British surveillance plane last September with a leaked Pentagon document suggesting the incident was more serious than admitted by Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace.
Read more:https://t.co/4fMbHNGQW6 pic.twitter.com/0cXybxDNMp
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 10, 2023
The FBI and the DOJ are investigating the leaks, which are being called the most wide-ranging and damaging to U.S. intelligence in years. If an American is indeed the source of the leak, it’s likely they would face treason charges. The possibility pro-Russian elements are behind the leaks to possibly sow disinformation, however, is not being ruled out.
Some of the information on the leaked pictures appeared to have been doctored, poorly. One document said only around 43,000 Russian troops had been killed or wounded since fighting began. Western intelligence agencies said the actual number is closer to 200,000.
Other information could still be credible, though, and coincides with what was taking place at the time the pictures were reportedly taken. For instance, the claim Ukraine could run out of air defense missiles by May, which would be another reason it was and is lobbying so hard for Western fighter jets like the F-16.
While it is still unknown who released the documents or why, the impact of their release is undeniable. One senior Western intelligence official called the leak a “nightmare” because the Kremlin could use the documents to figure out how the West was spying on Russian troop movements. The documents could also be used as a wedge between the U.S. and its allies. Ukraine is also being forced to now alter some aspects of its counter-offensive plan as well.
In addition to investigating the leaks, the Pentagon said it also made changes to how it distributes classified information and will look to limit who is granted access to certain documents moving forward.
Reuters contributed to this report.
UKRAINE IS RUNNING OUT OF AIR DEFENSE MISSILES. SOUTH KOREA DOESN’T WANT TO GIVE UKRAINE ARTILLERY ROUNDS, AND THE BATTLE FOR THE DONBAS IS LIKELY HEADED FOR A STALEMATE. THESE ARE A FEW OF THE MORE EYE-CATCHING TAKEAWAYS AFTER THE WORLD LEARNED CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENTS WERE CIRCULATING ONLINE FOR MONTHS.
MOST OF THE WORLD DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS UNTIL EARLY APRIL, BUT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAYS THE POSTS STARTED SHOWING UP ONLINE IN JANUARY. THEY INITIALLY APPEARED IN A SMALL CHATROOM ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM DISCORD. THE PLATFORM IS MOSTLY USED BY PEOPLE WHO PLAY VIDEO GAMES TO TALK ABOUT GAMING. THE POSTS WERE EVENTUALLY SHARED IN DIFFERENT CHAT ROOMS AND THEN WOUND UP ON TWITTER AND TELEGRAM BEFORE BEING TAKEN DOWN.
THE POSTS CONTAINED PICTURES OF DOZENS OF DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING MAPS, PICTURES AND INTELLIGENCE ROUNDUPS APPARENTLY FROM THE CIA. SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS WERE DATED TO BE FROM JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, MEANING THEY COULD HAVE CONTAINED ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. MANY WERE MARKED CLASSIFIED OR TOP SECRET. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE DOCUMENTS RANGED FROM UKRAINE’S AIR DEFENSE TO ISRAEL’S MOSSAD SPY AGENCY. SOME DOCUMENTS EVEN TALKED ABOUT THE U.S. ASSESSMENT OF WHERE AND HOW UKRAINIAN TROOPS SHOULD DEPLOY FOR ITS MUCH-ANTICIPATED SPRING COUNTER-OFFENSIVE.
ASIDE FROM UKRAINE, THE DOCUMENTS APPEARED TO SHOW THE US WAS SPYING ON TWO OF ITS OTHER ALLIES, ISRAEL AND SOUTH KOREA.THE DOCUMENTS REPORTEDLY SHOW THE US LEARNED ISRAEL’S MOSSAD INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WAS ENCOURAGING PROTESTS AGAINST PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. IN ANOTHER DOCUMENT, THE U.S. APPARENTLY GATHERED INTELLIGENCE ON THE INTERNAL DEBATE IN SOUTH KOREA OF WHETHER IT SHOULD SUPPLY UKRAINE WITH 155 MM ARTILLERY ROUNDS.
U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAID BECAUSE OF THE BREADTH OF TOPICS COVERED, AND THE FACT MANY OF THE DOCUMENTS WERE ONLY IN U.S. HANDS, THE SOURCE OF THE LEAKS COULD BE AN AMERICAN.
THE FBI AND THE DOJ ARE INVESTIGATING THE LEAKS, WHICH ARE BEING CALLED THE MOST WIDE-RANGING AND DAMAGING TO U.S. INTELLIGENCE IN YEARS. IF AN AMERICAN IS INDEED THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK, IT’S LIKELY THEY WOULD FACE TREASON CHARGES. THE POSSIBILITY PRO-RUSSIAN ELEMENTS ARE BEHIND THE LEAKS TO POSSIBLY SOW DISINFORMATION, HOWEVER, IS NOT BEING RULED OUT.
SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON THE LEAKED PICTURES APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN DOCTORED, POORLY. ONE DOCUMENT SAID ONLY AROUND 43,000 RUSSIAN TROOPS HAD BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED SINCE FIGHTING BEGAN. WESTERN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES SAY THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS CLOSER TO 200,000.
BUT OTHER INFORMATION COULD BE CREDIBLE AND COINCIDES WITH WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE TIME THE PICTURES WERE REPORTEDLY TAKEN. FOR INSTANCE, THE FACT UKRAINE COULD RUN OUT OF AIR DEFENSE MISSILES BY MAY, WHICH WOULD BE ANOTHER REASON IT WAS AND IS LOBBYING SO HARD FOR WESTERN FIGHTER JETS.
WE MAY NOT KNOW WHO RELEASED THE DOCUMENTS OR WHY, BUT THE IMPACT OF THEIR RELEASE IS UNDENIABLE. ONE SENIOR WESTERN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL CALLED THE LEAK A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE THE KREMLIN COULD USE THE DOCUMENTS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE WEST WAS SPYING ON RUSSIAN TROOP MOVEMENTS. THE DOCUMENTS COULD ALSO BE USED AS A WEDGE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES.
UKRAINE IS ALSO BEING FORCED TO NOW ALTER SOME ASPECTS OF ITS COUNTER-OFFENSIVE PLAN AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO INVESTIGATING THE LEAKS, THE PENTAGON SAID IT ALSO MADE CHANGES TO HOW IT DISTRIBUTES CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AND WILL LOOK TO LIMIT WHO IS GRANTED ACCESS TO CERTAIN DOCUMENTS MOVING FORWARD.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE FALLOUT OF THE LEAKS HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW. TO SEE MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING, LOG ONTO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.
Media Landscape
This story is a Media Miss by the left as only 23% of the coverage is from left leaning media. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
U.S. scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on The HinduPentagon calls leak of highly classified intelligence ‘very serious’ risk to security
Click to see story on CBC NewsUS launches multi-agency search to find source of huge Ukraine document leak
Click to see story on The IndependentUS scrambles to find source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on Sydney Morning HeraldUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on The Korea TimesU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Japan TodayUS scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on Deccan HeraldUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on RapplerDOJ opens investigation into apparent leak of classified documents from Pentagon
Click to see story on AxiosUS searches for source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on EURACTIVWhat does the huge leak of Ukraine war documents tell us?
Click to see story on BBC NewsUS scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on ReutersUS searches for source that leaked Ukraine war, Mossad, China-related intel
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesU.S. searches for source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on CNBCUkraine cities pounded, Kyiv plays down fallout from leak of US documents
Click to see story on South China Morning PostUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Channel News AsiaUS Searches for Source of Highly Classified Intel Leak
Click to see story on VOA NewsUS scrambles to find source of leak of Ukraine war intel
Click to see story on Al JazeeraU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on The Japan TimesIntelligence leak has U.S. officials bracing for impact at home and abroad
Click to see story on The Globe & MailUS: Search on for source of highly classified intel leak – DW – 04/10/2023
Click to see story on Deutsche WelleUnited States searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on RNZUS searches for source of intelligence leak of Ukraine war plans
Click to see story on France24U.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on The PrintU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on DevdiscourseUkraine war: US searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Times of IndiaUS Searches for Source of Highly-Classified Intel Leak, Culprit Suspected to be American
Click to see story on News18 IndiaUkraine cities pounded, US scrambles to find source of leaked documents
Click to see story on Independent.ieIntel leak has U.S. officials bracing for impact at home and abroad
Click to see story on Financial PostIntel leak has US officials bracing for impact at home and abroad
Click to see story on Malay MailUkraine cities pounded, Kyiv plays down fallout from leak of US documents
Click to see story on Times LiveUS investigating leak of highly classified documents
Click to see story on The West AustralianUS searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on Al ArabiyaUS probes alleged leak of Ukraine war documents
Click to see story on The Manila TimesTop secret intel leak has US officials bracing for fallout at home and abroad
Click to see story on Business LiveUS defense investigates source and consequences of leaked documents “invaluable”
Click to see story on Het Laatste NieuwsThe media reported difficulties in finding the source of leaked Pentagon documents
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]Internal source may be behind leak of US intelligence
Click to see story on berlingske.dkIntel Leak Has US Officials Bracing for Impact at Home and Abroad
Click to see story on The AlgemeinerU.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on KnewzUkraine cities pounded, US scrambles to find source of leaked documents
Click to see story on The Star Kuala LumpurDOJ launches criminal investigation into apparent leaked ‘highly classified’ US intelligence
Click to see story on Washington ExaminerDOJ Races To Find Source of Leaked Pentagon Documents
Click to see story on Zero HedgeLeak of ‘highly classified material’ is being assessed by interagency team, Pentagon says
Click to see story on Fox NewsRight
Untracked Bias
U.S. searches for source of highly-classified intel leak
Click to see story on FijiTimesUS investigating leak of highly classified documents
Click to see story on PerthNowLeak of classified US documents overshadows warfare
Click to see story on nordbayern.deUS evaluates risks linked to secret document leak
Click to see story on De TijdLeak classified documents. Ukraine revises counteroffensive plan
Click to see story on Do RzeczyUS Investigating Whether Ukraine War Documents Were Leaked
Click to see story on Greeneville Publishing CompanyUS mainly searches in-house for the source of leaked documents
Click to see story on De MorgenClassified Pentagon documents on Ukraine are leaked – Últimas Noticias
Click to see story on ultimasnoticias.com.veU.S. searches for source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on nordot.appUS scrambles to trace source of highly classified intel leak
Click to see story on newarab.comAmerica is trying to identify the source of the leak of highly classified intelligence documents
Click to see story on almasalah.comStraight to your inbox.
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