US Intelligence Leaks Embarrass Ukraine, Other Allies

A leaked trove of alleged intelligence documents wrought havoc in US spy agencies and US alliances during the 59th week of the war in Ukraine.

A series of leaked reports purporting to be classified US intelligence documents linked to the war in Ukraine has drawn ‘scepticism and denials’ from US spy agencies and several United States allies.

Photos of the classified files began circulating widely on Russian social media channels last week, but some were published on the gamers’ website Discord in February and March.The CIA, NSA, and US Defense Intelligence Agency have “denied the authenticity of the reports and have launched an investigation into the source of the leak.”

The reports have also caused embarrassment for two US-Middle East allies—Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Egypt denied a Washington Post report citing a leaked document dated February 17 that said it had reached a secret agreement to supply Russia with 40,000 rockets, gunpowder and artillery shells.

“In the document, Sisi instructs the officials to keep the production and shipment of the rockets secret ‘to avoid problems with the West’”, the Washington Post reported, referring to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

A senior official told Al Qahera News the report was “informational tampering that has no basis in truth”

Another leaked document focuses on the United Arab Emirates, saying Abu Dhabi had agreed to leak US and United Kingdom intelligence to curry favour with Russia.

“The UAE probably views engagement with Russian intelligence as an opportunity to strengthen growing ties between Abu Dhabi and Moscow and diversify intelligence partnerships amid concerns of US disengagement from the region,” the document cited by the Association Press news agency says.

The UAE said suggestions it had deepened ties with Russian intelligence were “categorically false.”

Aljazeera/Shakirat Sadiq