Why is there an uproar over the Pentagon Papers leak?
The top secret file leaked from the US Defense Ministry Pentagon has created a furore in the whole world. This intelligence document contains such information related to many countries including Russia, China, Ukraine, which had remained secret till now. Not only this, these documents have exposed America as well. America has accepted that these documents are genuine. These intelligence documents were shared on the messaging app Discord in early March. Since then, the Pentagon has drastically cut the number of officials who receive such information. Now the top secret documents will be shared only with those officers who have got the approval of the Joint Chief of Staff. In such a situation, the question arises that what was there in these documents, due to which there has been an uproar in the world.
UN’s soft attitude towards Russia
According to the leaked intelligence document, the US believes that the United Nations has not taken any harsh decision regarding Russia. The US also targeted the UN Secretary General over the grain deal with Russia. The Pentagon believes the deal will undermine efforts to hold Russia accountable for the Ukraine war. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is serving Russian interests. In such a situation, America is closely monitoring them. Several documents also mention private communication between Guterres and his deputy. One leaked document focuses on the Black Sea grain deal. America believes that the United Nations and Turkey supported Russia in this deal. The US believes that Guterres was so eager to keep the deal that he was willing to concede to Russia’s demands.
Jordan fears Chinese retaliation over Huawei
Leaked documents reveal countries that are not related to the Ukraine war. They are afraid of Chinese retaliation. In late February, three intelligence-based documents detail detailed talks between senior Jordanian officials about China. It is reported that officials are talking about whether to exclude Chinese firm Huawei from its 5G rollout project. The command of 5G launching is in the hands of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan. The documents show that Jordanian officials fear China may retaliate if they keep Huawei out. Another document has also been labeled as Top Secret. It mentions China’s growing cyber attack capability. It states that China can hack satellite links and networks as part of its strategy to control information.
Infighting over death toll of Russian soldiers in Ukraine
Intelligence documents suggest Russian officials are at loggerheads over the number of casualties in the Ukraine war. The files reveal that Russia’s main intelligence agency, the FSB, has accused the country’s defense ministry of downplaying the humanitarian impact of the war. This shows the extent to which the US agencies have hold in the Russian military and intelligence agencies.
Western Special Forces operating in Ukraine
In a document dated March 23, without naming the activities and the place, it is said that there are special forces of Western countries in Ukraine. Among these, the team of British Special Forces is the biggest. There are 50 personnel from the UK, 17 from Latvia, 15 from France, 14 from the US and 1 from the Netherlands working in Ukraine. The governments of western countries usually refrain from making statements on such sensitive matters. However, Russia has long claimed that it is not only confronting Ukraine but also NATO. Other documents said that several Ukrainian brigades may soon be ready for combat. Their training is being done under the supervision of officers from western countries. The documents describe in great detail the tanks, armored vehicles and artillery pieces Ukraine is receiving from Western allies. It also includes a map showing an assessment of ground conditions in eastern Ukraine.
US has low hopes for Ukraine success
According to the Washington Post newspaper, a document claims that the Ukrainian army is having little success in the war with Russia. The document states that Ukraine can only make minor territorial gains. These documents also mention the difficulties arising regarding the air security of Ukraine. It has been told that Ukraine’s missiles may end soon. The documents also mention casualties in the Russia-Ukraine war. A slide states that so far 223,000 Russian soldiers are reported killed or wounded, while 131,000 Ukrainians are reported dead. However, some Ukrainian officials have rejected this claim.
Egypt can sell rockets to Russia
The Washington Post, citing a leaked document in February, reported that Egypt is secretly working on a plan to make 40,000 rockets for Russia. According to the report, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi told officials to keep the production and shipments secret to avoid disputes with Western countries. An official was quoted as saying that al-Sisi is willing to order his men to work in shifts if needed, so that help can be sent to Russia as quickly as possible in response to earlier help. It is not clear what is meant by earlier assistance. It was reported in January that Russia’s share in Egypt’s wheat imports in 2022 had increased significantly.
South Korea angry with America for giving arms to Ukraine
According to the BBC report, a secret document mentions that South Korea is angry with the US for sending its weapons to Ukraine. The report, based on signals intelligence, details a sensitive conversation between the National Security Advisors. They are torn between US pressure to send ammunition to Ukraine and his policy of not giving weapons to countries at war. One of the advisers suggested sending the shells to Poland to avoid weapons being delivered to the US. As part of a supply deal last year, South Korea insisted the US could not supply the shells to Ukraine. Seoul has been reluctant to provide arms to Ukraine for fear of Russia’s opposition.
China tests superpowerful weapon
The Washington Post has reported that a secret document also mentions Chinese weapons testing. It is reported that on February 25, China tested one of its experimental missiles – the DF-27 hypersonic glide vehicle. It will be used to launch hypersonic missiles. According to the documents, the Chinese missile covered a distance of 2,100 km (1,300 mi) in 12 minutes.