Dozens of top-secret US documents were leaked via Discord

The DOJ announced an investigation on Friday into a trove of leaked US intelligence documents “that appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material.” If verified, it represents one of the most damaging leaks of classified documents in modern US history.

📑➡️🌐 Here’s what happened: Starting sometime in January, an anonymous member of a Discord group with just over a dozen members began uploading a total of around 100 US government files providing details on a range of sensitive international topics. And the tea isn’t just hot – it’s pipin’ hot; about half of the leaked files were labeled “Secret” or “Top Secret.”

The documents include:

• Info regarding ongoing US efforts to spy on Israel and South Korea, two countries America officially considers to be allies.
• Intelligence that appears to come from several highly-placed sources in the Russian government, signaling the Pentagon has successfully infiltrated Moscow.
• Classified US assessments of the war in Ukraine dating to February and March, which include details like where Kyiv had placed its troops, as well as the types of weapons, vehicles, and ammunition it had available.

The leak stayed in the small Discord group through early March, when some files migrated to a much larger Discord community. Though much like Mr. Deeds’ butler, this was all still very sneaky. The US government was reportedly unaware of the situation until last Wednesday, when a Telegram account associated with Russian propaganda posted a doctored version of one of the documents.