A recent leak of classified US intelligence documents has revealed broad infighting between Russian officials, including some within the Federal Security Service (FSB) and Defense Ministry, according to a report by the New York Times. The leaked documents, which have not been independently verified by CNN, showed infighting between the FSB and Defense Ministry over Russia's casualty count for the war in Ukraine. The documents also detailed US monitoring of Russian intelligence and military command, and revealed the extent of US eavesdropping on key allies, including South Korea, Israel, and Ukraine. The leaks have rattled US officials, who fear that the revelations could put sensitive sources at risk and compromise important foreign relationships.
The Pentagon has stood up an "interagency effort" to assess the impact of the leak, while the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the leaks. The leaks have also had a significant impact on Ukraine, with a source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky telling CNN that Ukraine has already altered some of its military plans because of the leak. The leaks were posted on social media in recent weeks and were allegedly the work of someone who worked on a military base and posted sensitive national security secrets in an online group of acquaintances.
The leak could have potentially deadly consequences, as it revealed significant weaknesses in Ukrainian weaponry, air defense, and battalion sizes and readiness at a critical point in the war. Additionally, the leaks could put US sources in danger and compromise important foreign relationships. The Kremlin has responded to the leak by doubting the "reliability" of reports of broad infighting between Russian officials. The leaks have flustered US officials, who fear that the revelations could damage important foreign relationships and put sensitive sources at risk.