Ukraine is absolutely united with US in preparing counteroffensive – Ukraine's Prime Minister
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who is on a visit to the United States, has said that Kyiv and Washington remain united in preparing for a counteroffensive, despite the leak of classified documents.
Source: CNN citing Shmyhal
Quote: "We discussed many very important questions and challenges and issues with all the officials with whom we have meetings during these three days.
We are extremely and absolutely united with the Americans and other international partners in the preparation of our counteroffensive and we are sure that we will win this war. We will liberate our territories," he said.
Details: Shmyhal emphasised that Ukraine and the United States are united on such issues as military training and supplies of ammunition and weapons, including long-range missiles.
At the same time, CNN writes that the Ukrainian prime minister did not answer the question whether he had discussed the large-scale leak of classified documents with US officials.
Shmyhal also refused to answer whether any US officials had apologised for the "leak" of classified information about the training of the Ukrainian army.
Ukraine's Prime Minister has suggested that the leak of the documents was linked to Russia.
"I'm sure that the investigation will provide all conclusions," he added.
Background:
- On 7 April, The New York Times, citing sources in the White House, reported a data leak: allegedly classified military documents detailing US and NATO plans to build up the Ukrainian army before a planned counteroffensive appeared on Twitter and Telegram. More and more documents are appearing in the media.
- Bellingcat investigators found that the classified data was distributed on 1 and 2 March on a Discord server called WowMao, but the original source may be even earlier.
- Associated Press journalists talked to users of the Discord platform and they found out that the secret documents were allegedly distributed by a user with the nickname "Lucca", who may be a "child".
- The UK Defence Ministry warned of a "serious level of inaccuracy" in allegedly leaked US classified documents relating to the war in Ukraine.
- Ukraine has already changed some of its military plans because of the leaked classified US documents and this is delaying its counteroffensive, according to media reports
- The US Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the leak of a huge number of US intelligence documents, and the US State Department has stated that the incident with the publication of classified documents will not affect support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
- According to media reports, the leak of classified documents has caused a crisis in relations between the United States and its allies.
- Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts National Guard, has been charged in the case of the leaking of classified US Department of Defense documents.
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