Ukraine keeps details of upcoming counter-offensive hidden from allies – Politico
Ukraine has been keeping the details of its upcoming spring counter-offensive from its allies in an attempt to prevent the leaking of classified information that could affect the offensive.
Source: Politico, citing two European officials in contact with Ukraine's military leadership
Details: European officials told the media outlet that Kyiv is refraining from providing information about the counter-offensive due to the leak of secret US documents. In particular, their Ukrainian counterparts are not sharing information with them about the timeframe, location and number of troops to be deployed to positions ready for the counter-offensive.
Quote: "While Ukraine is still likely sharing some basic intelligence with the US and other European countries that have supported it with weapons over the past year, officials inside the country are working to prevent the widespread dissemination of details related to battlefield planning," Politico reports, citing sources.
Details: A Ukrainian MP, who spoke to the news agency on condition of anonymity, said that senior officials in Kyiv were also withholding details of the counter-offensive from other Ukrainian politicians. "There are only a few people in the country who know the plan," the MP said.
A Pentagon official told Politico that there have been no changes and that Washington and Kyiv continue to exchange information at the same level. "There have been no signs of Ukraine keeping anything from the US," he said.
Commenting on the covertness of Ukrainians, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said: "They don’t have an obligation to notify us or tell us in advance".
"Oftentimes we certainly do have a sense because we’re in daily communication with them [Ukrainian officials]. The US still supports Ukrainian operations with real-time information and intelligence. What we’re focused on is not whether we get some sort of heads up. We’re focused on making sure that they have everything they need for when they’re ready to go," Kirby said.
Other members of the Biden administration, Politico writes, argue that Ukraine has never been fully open with the US about its military plans. "They’ve been stingy with information from the beginning," a US official said.
Background: Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he has not had have any conversations with the White House about the large-scale leak of classified US intelligence documents.
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