Leaked Pentagon documents on Ukrainian forces complicate US ties with allies — NYT

A batch of classified US documents on Ukraine that appeared on social media has already marred Washington’s relations with its allies and could hurt diplomatic ties between the countries, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

"The leak has already complicated relations with allied countries and raised doubts about America’s ability to keep its secrets," the newspaper writes. A senior Western intelligence official, who had reviewed the documents, said the release of the material was "painful" and could "curb intelligence sharing."

"The documents could also hurt diplomatic ties in other ways," according to the article. "The newly revealed intelligence documents also make plain that the United States is not spying just on Russia, but also on its allies."

Senior US officials acknowledged that the documents "appear to be legitimate intelligence and operational briefs compiled by the Pentagon’s Joint Staff," the NYT publication reveals. A senior US official said that it could be difficult to track down the original source of the leak because hundreds, if not thousands, of military and other US government officials have access to such documents. According to the official, the Pentagon had recently instituted procedures to block the distribution of highly sensitive documents.