Unauthorized dissemination of secret documents generates “a very serious” security risk

“The fact that these documents are circulating online poses a very serious risk to national security, with the potential for the spread of disinformation,” said Chris Meagher, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, on Monday evening, according to BBC News.

“We are still investigating how this could have happened, as well as the extent of the problem. Procedures have been initiated to take a closer look at how this type of information is distributed and by whom,” Chris Meagher pointed out.

The American official refused to say whether the documents are authentic, but specified that some information “has been distorted”.

The US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, was informed about the press release of the secret documents on April 6, according to Reuters. “American officials have reiterated to their allies the commitments of the United States regarding the protection of information and fidelity to security partnerships,” Chris Meagher pointed out.

The Pentagon representative also reaffirmed Washington’s commitments to Ukraine. “President Biden and the Secretary of Defense have made it clear that the United States will stand by Ukraine as long as it takes,” insisted Chris Meagher.

On Monday, the Kiev administration accused Russia of having modified information from the American secret documents that appeared online, but at the same time, Kiev modified its operational plans in the context of the disclosures. Instead, the Kremlin denounced the West’s tendency to always assign the blame to Russia and suggested that US documents that appeared online suggested Washington’s espionage activities against allies.

The administration of South Korea has announced that it will demand “appropriate” actions from the United States after analyzing the espionage activities highlighted by the documents that appeared online, in the context in which, according to some sources, Washington would have intercepted both allies and enemies. A secret American document that appeared on online social networks suggests that American intelligence services intercepted, in March, discussions within the South Korean National Security Council. The document indicates the Seoul Administration’s refusal to respond to the United States’ request to supply Ukraine with weapons. According to The Washington Post, another document suggests the interception of information about a plan by the Russian Wagner paramilitary group to buy weapons from Turkey, a US ally in NATO. Other documents refer to the interception of information about the activities of Russia and Iran, but, according to CNN, there are indications that the American services would also spy on allies, including South Korea, Israel and Ukraine.