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Pentagon Leaks Risk Lives, Expose Spy Methods Russia Can Exploit - Ex-US Intel Officer

© AFP 2023 / STAFFthe Pentagon building in Washington, DC.
the Pentagon building in Washington, DC. - Sputnik International, 1920, 13.04.2023
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Recent leaks of classified materials from the Pentagon may enable Russia to develop countermeasures that will reduce Washington’s spying capabilities, in addition to putting lives at risk, former US intelligence officer Charles Morgan told Sputnik.
Top secret Pentagon files leaked online in recent weeks provide intelligence on a range of sensitive security matters, including Ukrainian air defenses, Russian military activities, and US assessments of the conflict.
"Leaks like this do put lives at risk and the people who leak information rarely think of the consequences to real people when they do this," Morgan, a professor in the University of New Haven's national security department, said. "The more dangerous effect is that it reveals to Russia the extent of our abilities to spy on them and this will permit them to take counter-measures and likely reduce our ability to be as informed about their plans and activities."
Some of the leaked documents provided specific details on Ukrainian military activities, including the attacks on Russian surveillance aircraft near Minsk and a gas compression station in Moscow’s suburbs in late February. In addition, the intelligence conflicted with earlier Pentagon assessments of the situation on the ground in Ukraine and revealed US doubts that Kiev could launch a spring offensive.
Former US Navy fighter jet pilot Vincent Aiello told Sputnik that the leaks of military intelligence could affect the direction of the conflict in Ukraine.
"Making informed decisions at the highest levels demands accurate situational awareness - obtaining that situational awareness requires methods and discussions typically not fit for print, which is why they are kept secret," Aiello said.
'Top Secret' stamp - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.04.2023
Analysis
Pentagon Leaks: 5 Key Revelations
Since the recent leaks, the US Department of Defense has significantly reduced the number of employees who have access to classified information, according to US media. The Pentagon is also leading an interagency effort to determine the impact the leaks have on US national security.
Earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Moscow has no position regarding the latest leak of classified Pentagon documents, but it is not excluded that they were leaked deliberately to mislead Russia.
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