The US defense is investigating the aftermath of the leaked government documents
03:25 | The US Department of Defense has launched an investigation into the possible consequences of the leak of a large number of classified government documents. The newspapers contain sensitive information about China, the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, among others.
The Pentagon said Sunday it was trying to establish the authenticity of the documents and assess the dangers the leak could pose to the security of the United States and other countries. In addition to the Department of Defense’s analysis, the US Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the leak.
The documents were initially circulated via social media networks Discord and 4Chan. US officials anonymously told Reuters on Friday that they believe Russia or pro-Russian groups were behind the leak. However, several security experts told the news agency on Sunday that they suspect an American was behind it, because many of the documents were only in American hands.
Washington Post sources say some leaked documents appear to have been doctored, such as documents mentioning significantly fewer Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine than official US estimates. Other documents, the sources say, are consistent with reports the CIA distributes to senior White House, Pentagon and State Department officials.