One of the classified US military documents leaked online shows the presence of 97 NATO special forces operators in Ukraine as of March 1, 2023, of which 50 were British, multiple UK outlets reported on Tuesday.
The Guardian reported it had seen two files, dated late February and early March, which listed 50 British special operatives as being active in Ukraine. The US had 14 special operatives in the country, and France, another 15.
The documents were labeled ‘secret’ and were prepared for senior US defense officials, according to the outlet. The daily updates contained information about NATO military operations, logistics, weapons deliveries, and training of Ukrainian troops.
Another UK outlet, Declassified, noted that the 14 US special operators were among the 29 Pentagon personnel present in Ukraine, which included the Marine security detachment at the US Embassy in Kiev and military attaches. Another 71 State Department personnel were listed as being in the country as well, amounting to a total of 100 Americans.
Declassified also said that the slide was marked “not releasable to foreign nationals.”
While US special operators come from two units, Navy SEALs and the Army’s Delta Force, the British definition extends beyond the Special Air Service (SAS) to paratroopers, marines, and other units. The prime minister is not obligated to brief Parliament on their deployment.
Reportedly, dozens of classified US military documents have been discovered online over the past week, attracting considerable media attention.
The US government has not officially confirmed their authenticity, but the Pentagon has launched a hunt for whoever leaked them, and the Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation as well.
