Intelligence Leaks Could Be ‘Targeted Disinformation,’ Top Russian Official Asserts

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov looks on during a press conference following talks with U.S. counterparts on soaring tensions over Ukraine, in Geneva, on Jan. 10, 2022. Eloi Rouyer/AFP via Getty Images

The recent leak of classified U.S. documents by unknown actors could be a “targeted disinformation” campaign designed to “mislead” Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said.

When asked by reporters about Moscow’s position on the source, motive, and authenticity of the documents, he said: “We don’t have a position.”

“It may be interesting for someone to scrutinize these materials to see whether they are [genuine] documents or fakes,” the diplomat said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency on April 12.

“Maybe it’s deliberately targeted disinformation.”

Volunteer soldiers prepare to fire toward Russian positions close to Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 8, 2023. Libkos/AP Photo

Scores of classified U.S. documents, mostly dating from February and March, first appeared last month on online forums such as Discord and 4Chan.

But they didn’t make made headlines until late last week, when The New York Times, citing “senior Biden administration officials,” reported their appearance on Twitter and Telegram.

Most of the documents purportedly contain classified information related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its second year. Others pertain to key U.S. allies, including Israel, South Korea, and Egypt.

“There is no question that [the leaks] present a risk to national security,” U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters earlier this week.

Both the Pentagon and Justice Department are now trying to find the source of the leaks amid fears they could harm relations with allies and compromise undercover intelligence assets.

According to Patel, Washington is engaging with allies “at the highest levels” to stress its commitment to “safeguarding intelligence” and securing “partnerships with these countries.”

‘Hybrid Warfare’

Many of the leaked documents pertain to U.S. and NATO plans to bolster the Ukrainian military in advance of a planned counteroffensive by Kyiv.

Within this context, leaked information purportedly includes arms delivery schedules, troop numbers, ammunition expenditure rates, and other critical data related to the conflict.

For example, one document appears to suggest that the supply of munitions for Ukraine’s S-300 air-defense system currently stands on the verge of depletion.

But according to Ryabkov, the leaks—which have dominated headlines since late last week—could be part of a “hybrid warfare” campaign conducted by U.S. intelligence agencies.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speak at the White House press briefing in Washington on April 6, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The term “hybrid warfare,” coined in 2007, refers to a strategy that combines conventional, irregular, and cyber warfare to accomplish military goals, political goals, or both.

Other aspects of hybrid warfare include the dissemination of propaganda (“fake news”), the weaponization of legal systems (“lawfare”), and the manipulation of electoral processes.

“Given that the United States is a party to the conflict [in Ukraine] and is waging a hybrid war against us, it’s possible that such ploys may be used to mislead ... the Russian Federation,” Ryabkov said of the leaks.

“Various scenarios and models are not beyond the realm of possibility.”

The State Department didn’t respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on Ryabkov’s assertions.

Media ‘Brouhaha’

Since the NY Times broke the story, the Western press has dropped a number of leak-related bombshells, drawing spirited denials from several capitals—including Washington and Moscow.

On April 10, The Washington Post reported that, according to one leaked document, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had ordered the production of thousands of rockets to be covertly delivered to Russia.

The document, dated Feb. 17, further asserts that Sisi instructed subordinates to keep the plan secret “to avoid problems with the West.”

A leading recipient of U.S. financial and military aid, Egypt has long been regarded as a key U.S. ally in the Middle East.

Cairo was quick to dismiss the claim as having “no basis in fact,” and a Kremlin spokesman described it as “yet another falsehood.”

Soon afterward, Washington also appeared to cast doubt on the document’s veracity.

“We’ve seen no indication that Egypt is providing lethal weaponry capabilities to Russia,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on April 11.

He described Egypt as a “significant security partner in the region” with which “the U.S. military has a longstanding defense relationship.”

When asked how long it would take for federal agencies to ferret out the source of the leaks, Kirby said: “We’d like to get answers as quickly as we can.

“But it would be foolish for anybody to try to guess how long that’s going to take.”

Regarding the media frenzy surrounding the leaks, Ryabkov voiced skepticism, “The extent to which all this brouhaha has any kind of grounding in reality ... remains open to question.”