Reports from a TV channel indicate that Ukraine has altered some of its military plans after a leak of classified Pentagon documents. CNN cites an unnamed source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the changes were made in response to the new information. The article notes that CNN did not specify the exact scope of the revisions or how extensive they were.
According to CNN, Ukraine has already adjusted certain military strategies because sensitive details were disclosed. The report highlights that in early March the Ukrainian army faced a critical shortage of ammunition and insufficient numbers of frontline troops, a combination that affected Kiev’s preparations for the planned counteroffensive and prompted revisions to various plans.
CNN reports that parts of the leaked archive reveal major gaps in Ukrainian weapons, air defenses, battalion strength, and overall readiness. The documents also show that the United States was spying not only on potential adversaries but also on allies, including Israel, South Korea, and Ukraine, a development that could strain international relations and jeopardize sensitive intelligence resources, according to CNN.
Wiretapping by Ukrainian authorities
In total, the channel examined 53 leaked documents believed to cover the period from mid-February to early March. One document reportedly confirms that U.S. intelligence was monitoring conversations involving the President of Ukraine.
A CNN source familiar with Zelensky’s circle described the leak as unsurprising, yet indicated that Ukrainian officials were deeply disappointed by the exposure. Citing an American intelligence report, CNN notes that at the end of February Zelensky proposed attacking Russian troop positions in the Rostov region with drones, citing Ukraine’s long absence of long-range capabilities as a motivating factor.
According to CNN, these details could explain Washington’s hesitancy to provide long-range missile systems to Ukraine, amid fears they could be used to strike Russian territory.
Leakage or tampering
Two American officials told Reuters that the published documents, including those describing the state of Ukraine’s armed forces, could be forged, as long as the forgers do not reveal their names. They suggested that forged files might mislead researchers or damage U.S. interests. Independent verification of the documents’ authenticity remained incomplete, though the Pentagon stated it had begun its own checks.
The Department of Defense said it is continuing to verify and evaluate the authenticity of the photographed documents circulating online that appear to contain classified material. Reuters sources believe the depth of issues in the files points to publication by a U.S. citizen. An investigation into the leak’s causes is underway, with anonymous officials noting several possible theories, from a disgruntled employee to an internal threat aimed at undermining U.S. national security.
Biggest leak since Snowden
Confidential U.S. intelligence materials surfaced in media and social networks recently. In total, more than a hundred dossiers related to Ukraine, China, and the Middle East, as well as the surveillance of Washington’s allies and rivals, have been disclosed. The Telegraph characterized the event as the largest leak of secrets since Edward Snowden and described it as a significant failure by U.S. intelligence agencies.
The New York Times was first to report the discovery of top-secret files online on the night of April 7, noting that platforms such as Telegram and Twitter were saturated with material detailing U.S. and NATO plans to support Ukraine ahead of the spring counteroffensive. While the documents did not reveal context or origins, they did outline Kyiv’s potential to raise several brigades and the likely scale of equipment the allies might supply. They also highlighted persistent ammunition shortages within the Ukrainian forces.
A senior Ukrainian official told The Washington Post that the leak angered Kiev’s military and political leadership, who fear exposure of security vulnerabilities tied to ammunition shortages and other war data. The New York Times also suggested that American intelligence had access to information from many Russian departments and intelligence agencies, enabling Washington to warn Kyiv about timing and even specific targets of Russian strikes. The Washington Post reported that the leak caused a shake-up at the Pentagon, with an interagency team formed to assess its impact, and a Defense Department spokeswoman affirmed that the evaluation process is ongoing.