Most successful Russian special service operations take place in ‘Photoshop’: Ukraine

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine claimed that the most successful operations of the Russian special services take place in “Photoshop,” as an alleged leak of Pentagon’s documents was recorded outlining details concerning Kyiv’s military.

“Since there is information that the Pentagon is conducting an investigation, we need to hear from the Pentagon about this investigation. It is very important to remember that, in recent decades, the most successful special operations of the Russian special services have been taking place, actually, in Photoshop,” Andriy Yusov, spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence, said on Sunday during a nationwide telethon.

Yusov said that the preliminary analysis of the documents shows “distorted figures” regarding losses from both Russia and Ukraine, with some of the data being collected from open sources.

Yusov further said that the needs of the Ukrainian military were discussed at all levels, adding: “It is no secret that Ukraine did put and continues to put questions about aircraft, tanks, ammunition, and many other things that we need to liberate the occupied areas faster, to preserve the lives of the Ukrainian military and civilians.”

He also said that people should not worry about the situation and that Ukraine’s counteroffensive on the frontline with Russia “will take place.”

He further noted that a decision on Ukraine’s counteroffensive will be made by the country’s military leadership, the circle of people informed of these plans is as limited as possible and that the information allegedly leaked could be completely fabricated.

In an earlier statement, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak claimed that the alleged leak was organized by Russia’s secret services.

“The aim of secret data ‘leaks’ is obvious: divert attention, cast doubts & mutual suspicions, sow discord. It's an ordinary game of ru-secret services (Russian). To take open briefings, add fake info or certain parts of interceptions & publish them on social networks legalizing the ‘leak’,” Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

On Friday, the Pentagon said it is investigating alleged screenshots of classified US and NATO documents concerning the war in Ukraine that circulated on social media, which contain information on Kyiv’s military, including details about battalion locations and sizes, total losses on both sides and its requirements for the following weeks.

The documents, which carry US Joint Chiefs of Staff seals and allegedly belong to the US and NATO, were shared on Twitter and Telegram, in response to which Deputy Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said the Defense Department is "aware of the reports” and that it is “reviewing the matter.”

Singh did not specify if the documents and their contents are authentic.