Ukraine on Sunday accused Russia of altering the Pentagon documents that have surfaced on social media in an apparent U.S. intelligence leak.
“In recent decades, the most successful operations of the Russian special services took place in Photoshop,” Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s intelligence directorate representative Adriy Yusov said in televised remarks posted to the directorate’s website.
The leaked documents include details on U.S. aid to Ukraine and Kyiv’s military activities, but experts have noted discrepancies that call the documents’ accuracy into question.
“From the preliminary analysis of these materials, we see false figures on losses from both sides,” Yusov said.
In some of the documents, estimates of Russian troop deaths have been noted to be significantly lower than the figures given by U.S. officials, according to the Associated Press.
Yusov also sought to downplay concerns raised in the documents about Ukrainian ammunition supplies and air defense capabilities, saying “it is not a secret for anyone that Ukraine asks questions about aviation, tanks, ammunition and other things.” Why progressive lawmakers are fighting against a TikTok ban King’s coronation: 3 crowns, 2 carriages and a shorter route
U.S. officials confirmed to the New York Times, which first reported the leaked documents, that the materials appear to be legitimate intelligence briefs, though at least one was flagged as being modified.
“The aim of secret data ‘leaks’ is obvious: divert attention, cast doubts & mutual suspicions, sow discord,” said Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Twitter.
“It’s an ordinary game of ru-secret services. To take open briefings, add fake info or certain parts of interceptions & publish them on social networks legalizing the ‘leak,’” Podolyak said.