White House Acknowledges ‘Small Number’ of US Troops in Ukraine Following Leaked Docs

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 7, 2023. Libkos/AP Photo

A limited number of U.S. troops are in Ukraine to provide support to the nation’s embassy and assist with logistics, according to the White House.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed the U.S. presence in Ukraine following the leak of allegedly top-secret Pentagon files, which claimed that there are 14 U.S. special forces operators in Ukraine.

“There is a small U.S. military presence at the embassy in conjunction with the defense attaché’s office, to help us work on accountability of the materiel that is going into and out of Ukraine. So they’re attached to that embassy and that defense attaché,” Kirby told Fox News on April 12.

“They are not fighting on the battlefield. We are not enabling support on the battlefield. ... There has been no change to the president’s mandate that there will not be American troops in Ukraine fighting in this war.”

Kirby’s response confirms comments made to The Epoch Times by a Pentagon spokesperson in March. At that time, the Department of Defense (DOD) confirmed there were a limited number of U.S. troops in Ukraine who weren’t involved in combat operations.

“There are only a small number of [DOD] personnel currently in Ukraine supporting normal embassy operations, consistent with the activities performed at embassies around the world,” the spokesperson said.

“[DOD] established a dedicated headquarters element at European Command in Germany, the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine [SAG-U]. SAG-U’s mission is to support security assistance activities, coordinate training efforts, oversee efforts to supply and equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and enhance Ukraine’s situational awareness as part of our long-term commitment to Ukraine alongside our Allies and partners.”

Kirby’s comments come after the leak of more than 100 alleged top-secret Pentagon files, one of which appears to document the number of special forces operators from the United States and allied nations operating in Ukraine.

Special forces engage in a number of specialized missions, including information warfare, counterterrorism, and in-region training of foreign forces.

It’s unclear at this time what element or elements of the U.S. Special Operations Command are present in Ukraine.

The alleged top-secret documents, first leaked between January and March, appear to be a mixture of legitimate classified documents and fabricated additions.

To that end, Kirby said the United States didn’t know who was behind the leak, but that it “could do damage to our national security.” The Justice Department, he said, has initiated a criminal investigation into the incident.

“We don’t know who did this. We don’t know for what reason. And we don’t know ... what else this individual or individuals might have or might release,” Kirby said.