What are the leaked US secret documents?

The Pentagon said the breach posed a "very serious risk to national security" and the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the matter.

However, US officials have not publicly confirmed that the documents shown in the photos posted on social media and other websites are real and their authenticity remains unverified.

What are the hidden documents of the US? image 1 — Ukrainian soldiers. Photo: AFP

Here is some additional useful information about these documents:

Death toll in Ukraine conflict

One major assessment of the state of the conflict puts Russian combat deaths at 35,500 to 43,500 and Ukrainian deaths at 16,000 to 17,500. Russia also lost more than 150 planes and helicopters, while Ukraine lost more than 90 aircraft.

Another version of the document, which appears to have been redacted, said Ukrainian troop and equipment losses were higher than Russian. The Pentagon has warned that the documents “have the potential to spread disinformation.”

Lack of air defense missiles

Two documents dated February 28 highlighted significant problems with Ukraine's air defense system, which is instrumental in defending against Russian attacks and preventing Moscow's forces from gaining control of the skies.

The two documents said the ability to use medium-range air defense systems to protect the front line “will be completely reduced by May 23.” One of them noted that Soviet-era SA-10 and SA-11 systems make up nearly 90 percent of Ukraine’s medium- and high-altitude defense capabilities, and predicted that ammunition stocks would also be depleted by early May.

The document lists possible responses including munitions supplies from allies and partners in the near term, and drawing on contributions from Western air defense systems in the medium term.

Ukraine attacks Russian territory with UAVs

An undated document says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on February 28 expressed concern to the country’s top general and another official about Kiev’s lack of missiles with the range to strike Moscow’s forces inside Russian territory and suggested using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to do so.

The report may help explain the US’s reluctance to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons due to concerns that its weapons could be used to strike Russian territory. However, Kiev appears to have carried out such attacks by other means.

Protests in Israel

Another undated document said leaders from Israel's Mossad intelligence agency had encouraged protests against planned judicial reforms in the country. The document said the information was gleaned from electronic signals, suggesting the United States was spying on the country with which it has close ties.

Follow Korea

South Korea's National Security Council "also expressed concern" about the possibility that the United States would provide weapons purchased from Seoul to Ukraine, according to a confidential March 1 document detailing a conversation between two South Korean officials.

That would violate South Korea’s policy of not providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. Like previous documents, this one points to US oversight of an ally.

The revelations have sparked criticism in South Korea over security breaches, but President Yoon Suk-yeol's office has dismissed the reports as "lies." South Korea's opposition on Wednesday called on the government to investigate the spying.

Black Sea Surveillance

A February 27 document details surveillance flights over the Black Sea by the US, UK, France and NATO from late September last year to late February this year, using both manned and unmanned aircraft, including the MQ-9 Reaper.

About two weeks after the document was released, the US said a Russian Su-27 jet had attacked one of its MQ-9s, causing the drone to crash into the Black Sea. Russia denied the allegation.

Serbia agrees to arm Ukraine

According to leaked secret documents, Serbia has agreed to supply weapons to Ukraine or has already sent them, despite the country declaring neutrality in the Ukrainian war and refusing to participate in Western sanctions against Russia.

Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic dismissed the document as “untrue” in a statement on Wednesday. “Serbia has not and will not sell weapons to Ukraine, Russia or the countries surrounding the conflict,” he added.

Quoc Thien (according to AFP)

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