Details Emerge on U.S. Classified Documents Leaked Online, NYT Reports
The recent leak of U.S. classified documents online pertains to the situation in Bakhmut, according to The New York Times.
According to the publication, the materials dated from late February to early March describe how Ukraine's command assessed the situation in the city at that time. They include transcripts of joint briefings by U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, based on intelligence, indicating that Washington is closely monitoring the actions of Kyiv's authorities to have a "clear understanding" of their strategy.
The newspaper cited an excerpt from the document, which specifically mentions that by February 25, Ukrainian forces were effectively surrounded by Russian troops in Bakhmut, and the head of Ukraine's military intelligence, Kirill Budanov, evaluated their condition as "catastrophic." Additionally, the documents revealed his plan to deploy elite units to the city for two weeks to push back Russian Armed Forces and cut supply lines.
It is worth noting that The New York Times reported that the Pentagon is investigating the leak of classified materials on social media related to U.S. and NATO plans to prepare the Ukrainian army for a counteroffensive. At the same time, experts do not rule out that the documents may be disinformation from foreign intelligence services.