The Department of Justice has launched an inquiry into the recent social media postings of what appears to be a large number of US intelligence documents. The probe takes place as further records that span everything from US help for Ukraine to details about important US allies like Israel surface on Friday, increasing the ramifications of the already concerning leaks. Following social media posts of what appeared to be sensitive information on the war in Ukraine, the Pentagon announced on Thursday that it was investigating the situation.

Pentagon leaks: US suspects more leaks in coming days

The major leak of classified US documents, which has caused concerns among international governments, might have started in a chatroom on a social media platform popular with games. According to a report by the Associated Press on Tuesday (April 11), a discussion held on Discord originally to talk about a range of topics turned to the ongoing war in Ukraine. One member of this chat said that an unidentified poster shared documents that were allegedly classified, first typing them out with the poster’s thoughts, and then beginning to post images of papers with folds in them.&nbsp;

The posts appeared to have gone unnoticed outside of the chat until a few weeks back when they started circulating more widely on social media. The records provided startling and surprisingly timely details of the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) assistance to Ukraine. The report said the records also provided clues about efforts to assist Ukraine in its war with Russia.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-why-the-us-is-worried-about-latest-leak-of-secret-documents-581016">Explained: Why the US is worried about latest leak of secret documents</a>

The images of the documents leaked on Discord included a top-secret analysis of deepening intelligence ties between Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and agencies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).&nbsp;

Citing signals intelligence, the March analysis said that FBS officers were caught claiming that the UAE agreed with Moscow to work together against US and UK intelligence agencies. The news agency also saw an analysis of what might happen in the Ukraine war in certain scenarios if Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were to die.&nbsp;

The Associated Press interviewed a person who he said was a member of this Discord chat group. The person, 18, did not wish to be identified. Bellingcat, a Netherlands-based investigative journalism group, also spoke to this person and two others in the chatroom called “Thug Shaker Central.”

Last Saturday, Bellingcat said that documents from the chatroom appear to have been shared in another chatroom called “WowMao.” And from WowMao, the documents spread widely and were reported by many media outlets.&nbsp;

The 18-year-old Discord user told the news agency that he was on a call with others — including the person who for months had been posting documents he or she said were classified- when the news came out.&nbsp;

"We all just kind of lost it. We couldn’t believe what was happening," he said and pointed out he wanted to clear the reputation of a third person, who uses the screenname “Lucca.”&nbsp;

Posts from Lucca featuring many of the documents were widely shared on social media. The poster said that Lucca is just a kid and "was just consistently posting it to mess with people.”

He declined to identify the original uploader of these documents and referred to the uploader as "The O.G.". The poster further said that the person who first posted the documents, did not appear to be driven by ideology or to expose government secrets broadly, but rather to impress people in their group.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The major leak of classified US documents, which has caused concerns among international governments, might have started in a chatroom on a social media platform popular with games.

The major leak of classified US documents, which has caused concerns among international governments, might have started in a chatroom on a social media platform popular with games. According to a report by the Associated Press on Tuesday (April 11), a discussion held on Discord originally to talk about a range of topics turned to the ongoing war in Ukraine. One member of this chat said that an unidentified poster shared documents that were allegedly classified, first typing them out with the poster’s thoughts, and then beginning to post images of papers with folds in them. The posts appeared to have gone unnoticed outside of the chat until a few weeks back when they started circulating more widely on social media. The records provided startling and surprisingly timely details of the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) assistance to Ukraine. The report said the records also provided clues about efforts to assist Ukraine in its war with Russia. ALSO READ | Explained: Why the US is worried about latest leak of secret documents The images of the documents leaked on Discord included a top-secret analysis of deepening intelligence ties between Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and agencies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Citing signals intelligence, the March analysis said that FBS officers were caught claiming that the UAE agreed with Moscow to work together against US and UK intelligence agencies. The news agency also saw an analysis of what might happen in the Ukraine war in certain scenarios if Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were to die. The Associated Press interviewed a person who he said was a member of this Discord chat group. The person, 18, did not wish to be identified. Bellingcat, a Netherlands-based investigative journalism group, also spoke to this person and two others in the chatroom called “Thug Shaker Central.” Last Saturday, Bellingcat said that documents from the chatroom appear to have been shared in another chatroom called “WowMao.” And from WowMao, the documents spread widely and were reported by many media outlets. The 18-year-old Discord user told the news agency that he was on a call with others — including the person who for months had been posting documents he or she said were classified- when the news came out. "We all just kind of lost it. We couldn’t believe what was happening," he said and pointed out he wanted to clear the reputation of a third person, who uses the screenname “Lucca.” Posts from Lucca featuring many of the documents were widely shared on social media. The poster said that Lucca is just a kid and "was just consistently posting it to mess with people.” He declined to identify the original uploader of these documents and referred to the uploader as "The O.G.". The poster further said that the person who first posted the documents, did not appear to be driven by ideology or to expose government secrets broadly, but rather to impress people in their group. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Major leak of classified US documents may have started in chatroom for gamers: Report

Ukraine’s air defences risk running out of missiles and ammunition within weeks, an apparent leak of Pentagon documents dating from February suggests, as US defence officials raced to trace how the files became public.

Ukraine’s air defences could soon run out of missiles, apparent Pentagon leak suggests

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms - The leaked documents carry information about a sensitive conversation held between high-level South Korean officials on whether to send weapons to Ukraine.

Pentagon leak shows South Korea divided on sending Ukraine weapons | Trending on WION

Pentagon Intel Leak: Ukrainian air defence in peril

Pentagon Intel Leak: 'Leaked' documents reveal US spying on Russia's war in Ukraine

A British surveillance plane was on the verge of being shot down by a Russian fighter jet last year, &nbsp;as per leaked Pentagon documents which propelled US officials to spy on its allies and adversaries in a bid to find where things went southwards. &nbsp;

According to The Washington Post, one of the leaked documents mention a "near shoot-down of UK RJ," a United Kingdom reconnaissance aircraft. RJ signifies to RC-135 reconnaissance planes. They are also known by the name "Rivet Joints."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/is-there-a-medicine-to-stop-this-naz-founder-anjali-gopalan-shares-internal-battles-homosexuals-fight-580795">'Is there a medicine to stop this...?' Indian activist Anjali Gopalan shares internal battles homosexuals fight</a>

As per reports, the nearly-missed incident took place on 29 September last year. The British plane was flying off the Crimean coast. The aircraft was a usual spy one which is used to gather electronic messages.&nbsp;

The information in the leaked document suggests that UK RJ was nearly taken down by a missile shot by a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet.&nbsp;

This is a significant leak. In case Russia had indeed taken out the British plane it would have dragged United States and its NATO partners into the Ukraine war.&nbsp;

It is important to note that UK is already aware of this as was disclosed by country's defence minister last year but there is a difference in what he said and what the leaked documents indicate.&nbsp;

The incident was reported to the British Parliament by UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace in October. At the time he said, two Russian fighter planes had intercepted the RC-135 and were flying "recklessly."

However, the point here is that Wallace did not mention that the conflict almost resulted in a shootdown. He only mentioned that a Russian fighter "launched a missile" at the moment. Wallace cited a "technical fault" as the cause of the missile launch.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-massive-fire-engulfs-faith-lutheran-church-in-cambridge-after-easter-service-580818">Massive fire engulfs Faith Lutheran Church in Cambridge after Easter service</a>

The other significant disclosure made in the leaked Pentagon documents from February were depleting Ukraine air defenses, something which may spell trouble for the European country fighting the war for over a&nbsp;year now.&nbsp;

As per reports, Ukraine’s air defenses are at risk of running out of missiles and ammunition within weeks.&nbsp;

A document from 23 February which was marked "secret" describes in detail how Ukraine's S-300 air defense systems from the Soviet period will be exhausted by 2 May if consumption continues at the current rate. However, there is no clarity how Ukraine's air defenses stand as of now or whether the utilisation rate has altered since then.

Many classified documents with "secret" information of US and NATO preparations to boost the Ukrainian army in preparation for an imminent Russian attack were leaked online.&nbsp;

Watch | President Vladimir Putin may visit India for G20 summit ?

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The Biden administration started an investigation into the papers. However, as per reports, they already made their way around on Twitter and Telegram and have raised severe concerns about security breaches.

“We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the department is reviewing the matter,” Sabrina Singh, the deputy press secretary at the Pentagon told the Times.

The other details of the leak, which allegedly took place from Pentagon, nine of the 12 Ukrainian combat brigades were reportedly being trained by US and NATO forces.&nbsp;

According to the leaked papers, 250 tanks and more than 350 mechanised vehicles are required to repel the Russian army.&nbsp;Meanwhile, as the war prolongs, Moscow said it&nbsp;is prepared for a ceasefire in Ukraine at any moment&nbsp;but the possibility is "unrealistic" if Kyiv and the West insist on Russia's military defeat.

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A British surveillance plane was on the verge of being shot down by a Russian fighter jet last year, as per leaked Pentagon documents which propelled US officials to spy on its allies and adversaries in a bid to find where things went southwards.

A British surveillance plane was on the verge of being shot down by a Russian fighter jet last year, as per leaked Pentagon documents which propelled US officials to spy on its allies and adversaries in a bid to find where things went southwards. According to The Washington Post, one of the leaked documents mention a "near shoot-down of UK RJ," a United Kingdom reconnaissance aircraft. RJ signifies to RC-135 reconnaissance planes. They are also known by the name "Rivet Joints." Also Read | 'Is there a medicine to stop this...?' Indian activist Anjali Gopalan shares internal battles homosexuals fight As per reports, the nearly-missed incident took place on 29 September last year. The British plane was flying off the Crimean coast. The aircraft was a usual spy one which is used to gather electronic messages. The information in the leaked document suggests that UK RJ was nearly taken down by a missile shot by a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet. This is a significant leak. In case Russia had indeed taken out the British plane it would have dragged United States and its NATO partners into the Ukraine war. It is important to note that UK is already aware of this as was disclosed by country's defence minister last year but there is a difference in what he said and what the leaked documents indicate. The incident was reported to the British Parliament by UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace in October. At the time he said, two Russian fighter planes had intercepted the RC-135 and were flying "recklessly." However, the point here is that Wallace did not mention that the conflict almost resulted in a shootdown. He only mentioned that a Russian fighter "launched a missile" at the moment. Wallace cited a "technical fault" as the cause of the missile launch. Also Read | Massive fire engulfs Faith Lutheran Church in Cambridge after Easter service The other significant disclosure made in the leaked Pentagon documents from February were depleting Ukraine air defenses, something which may spell trouble for the European country fighting the war for over a year now. As per reports, Ukraine’s air defenses are at risk of running out of missiles and ammunition within weeks. A document from 23 February which was marked "secret" describes in detail how Ukraine's S-300 air defense systems from the Soviet period will be exhausted by 2 May if consumption continues at the current rate. However, there is no clarity how Ukraine's air defenses stand as of now or whether the utilisation rate has altered since then. Many classified documents with "secret" information of US and NATO preparations to boost the Ukrainian army in preparation for an imminent Russian attack were leaked online. Watch | President Vladimir Putin may visit India for G20 summit ? × The Biden administration started an investigation into the papers. However, as per reports, they already made their way around on Twitter and Telegram and have raised severe concerns about security breaches. “We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the department is reviewing the matter,” Sabrina Singh, the deputy press secretary at the Pentagon told the Times. The other details of the leak, which allegedly took place from Pentagon, nine of the 12 Ukrainian combat brigades were reportedly being trained by US and NATO forces. According to the leaked papers, 250 tanks and more than 350 mechanised vehicles are required to repel the Russian army. Meanwhile, as the war prolongs, Moscow said it is prepared for a ceasefire in Ukraine at any moment but the possibility is "unrealistic" if Kyiv and the West insist on Russia's military defeat. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pentagon leak says Russia almost shot down UK spy plane, Kyiv's air defences on verge of depletion

Does the US have another WikiLeaks-like situation at hand? Well if not in terms of&nbsp;size, the latest problem is definitely comparable, in security implications, to havoc caused in 2013 when Julian Assange's WikiLeaks made more than 700,000 classified documents public. The latest leaked document count is just above 100. But it has come at a time when US and the world is facing challeges on multiple fronts.

In recent weeks, these documents surfaced on the internet after reportedly appearing for the first time on 4Chan and Discord.

<h2>What are these leaked documents about?</h2>

These documents, many of which are marked 'secret' or even 'top secret' have details and plans about Ukraine war, Middle East, China, South Korea and more. Unlike WikiLeaks, the document leak this time has come when a former global superpower (Russia) has done what was previously unthinkable in modern times and has invaded its neighbour stoking a full-scale conflict. China is much stronger than it was a decade ago. American influence in the Middle East/ West Asia is seen by many to be waning. And the country is compelled to do a balancing act in order to firefight situations in several countries across the world.

Given all this, when the US gameplan is leaked in such a blatant manner, it is sure to upset its delicate manoeuvring in global politics.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that some of the leaked documents contain details about Ukrainian air defences, something Russia would be eager to learn about. The documents also reportedly mention South Korea's secret plan to provide 330,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine. NYT has said that documents reveal how the US is deeply connected with day-to-day conduct of the Ukraine war.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/conflicting-accounts-emerge-from-bakhmut-battleground-ukraine-says-russia-using-scorched-earth-tactic-580999">Conflicting accounts emerge from Bakhmut battleground; Ukraine says Russia using 'scorched-earth' tactic</a>

Reuters said that it had reviewed more than 50 leaked documents with 'secret' and 'top secret' written on it. On of these documents reportedly reveals how Ukrainian S-300 missile systems will be depleted by May 2 at current usage rate.

Watch | US scrambles to find source of leaked Ukraine intel

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&nbsp;

Another document reportedly says that Israeli spy agency Mossad is encouraging people to protest against Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu as he attempts to assert control on the country's judiciary.

The leak has also brought to the fore US pressure on South Korea to provide ammunition to Ukraine.

<h2>Why the leak worries the US?</h2>

US currently has fingers in many pies around the world. Besides war in Ukraine, America is entangled militarily or diplomatically in other conflict zones like Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Libya etc. Iran and Saudi Arabia are increasingly being seen to be exiting US orbit as it was evident from China-brokered peace between the two regional powers. The North Korea and Taiwan issues are&nbsp;ever-present.

Given all this, the leak of American game-plan has a potential to limit its ability to navigate issues aroud the world. This might give America's adversaries opportunity to fine-tune their strategy.

<h2>Who is behind the latest leak?</h2>

There are only speculations at this point. Whenever it comes to hack or leak in America, the two countries that find immediate mention are Russia and China.

However, this time, American agencies and ministries are considering the possibility that the leak may have caused from inside the country.

"The focus now is on this being a U.S. leak, as many of the documents were only in U.S. hands," Michael Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official, told Reuters in an interview.

Watch | Pentagon leak says Kyiv's air defence could run out of missiles

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However, Reuters said that US officials aren't yet fully eliminating the possibility of a Russian angle to the saga.

In a statement on Sunday, the Pentagon said it was reviewing the validity of the photographed documents that "appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material."

The Pentagon has referred the issue to the Department of Justice, which has opened a criminal investigation.

<h2>How different is the leak from WikiLeaks in 2013?</h2>

Any leak of secret diplomatic talk or secret documents has ramifications. US and the world hasn't forgotten the shockwaves WikiLeaks created in 2013. Leak of more than 700,000 documents certainly has the potential to completely destroy the strategies of a nation.

After WikiLeaks, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had expressed fears that world will now be scared of talking to US diplomats for the fear of conversation being leaked. Similar opinions were expressed about United States' ability to gather intelligence in the future.

Leaks caused by Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden were borne out of ideological motives. Both of them had said that they wanted to bring to light what they thought were transgressions by the United States.

“This time it doesn’t look ideological,” said Dmitri Alperovitch, the Russia-born chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, best known for pioneering work in cybersecurity. Alperovitch was quoted by The New York Times.

NYT said that the first appearance of some of the leaked documents was on some gaming platforms.

So did a few gamers, wanting to&nbsp;correct each other, stoke the entire thing while fiercely debating the Ukraine war? At this point in time at least, we do not know for sure.

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Does the US have another WikiLeaks-like situation at hand? Well if not in terms of size, the latest problem is definitely comparable, in security implications, to havoc caused in 2013 when Julian Assange's WikiLeaks made more than 700,000 classified documents public.

Does the US have another WikiLeaks-like situation at hand? Well if not in terms of size, the latest problem is definitely comparable, in security implications, to havoc caused in 2013 when Julian Assange's WikiLeaks made more than 700,000 classified documents public. The latest leaked document count is just above 100. But it has come at a time when US and the world is facing challeges on multiple fronts. In recent weeks, these documents surfaced on the internet after reportedly appearing for the first time on 4Chan and Discord. What are these leaked documents about? These documents, many of which are marked 'secret' or even 'top secret' have details and plans about Ukraine war, Middle East, China, South Korea and more. Unlike WikiLeaks, the document leak this time has come when a former global superpower (Russia) has done what was previously unthinkable in modern times and has invaded its neighbour stoking a full-scale conflict. China is much stronger than it was a decade ago. American influence in the Middle East/ West Asia is seen by many to be waning. And the country is compelled to do a balancing act in order to firefight situations in several countries across the world. Given all this, when the US gameplan is leaked in such a blatant manner, it is sure to upset its delicate manoeuvring in global politics. The New York Times (NYT) reported that some of the leaked documents contain details about Ukrainian air defences, something Russia would be eager to learn about. The documents also reportedly mention South Korea's secret plan to provide 330,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine. NYT has said that documents reveal how the US is deeply connected with day-to-day conduct of the Ukraine war. Also Read | Conflicting accounts emerge from Bakhmut battleground; Ukraine says Russia using 'scorched-earth' tactic Reuters said that it had reviewed more than 50 leaked documents with 'secret' and 'top secret' written on it. On of these documents reportedly reveals how Ukrainian S-300 missile systems will be depleted by May 2 at current usage rate. Watch | US scrambles to find source of leaked Ukraine intel × Another document reportedly says that Israeli spy agency Mossad is encouraging people to protest against Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu as he attempts to assert control on the country's judiciary. The leak has also brought to the fore US pressure on South Korea to provide ammunition to Ukraine. Why the leak worries the US? US currently has fingers in many pies around the world. Besides war in Ukraine, America is entangled militarily or diplomatically in other conflict zones like Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Libya etc. Iran and Saudi Arabia are increasingly being seen to be exiting US orbit as it was evident from China-brokered peace between the two regional powers. The North Korea and Taiwan issues are ever-present. Given all this, the leak of American game-plan has a potential to limit its ability to navigate issues aroud the world. This might give America's adversaries opportunity to fine-tune their strategy. Who is behind the latest leak? There are only speculations at this point. Whenever it comes to hack or leak in America, the two countries that find immediate mention are Russia and China. However, this time, American agencies and ministries are considering the possibility that the leak may have caused from inside the country. "The focus now is on this being a U.S. leak, as many of the documents were only in U.S. hands," Michael Mulroy, a former senior Pentagon official, told Reuters in an interview. Watch | Pentagon leak says Kyiv's air defence could run out of missiles × However, Reuters said that US officials aren't yet fully eliminating the possibility of a Russian angle to the saga. In a statement on Sunday, the Pentagon said it was reviewing the validity of the photographed documents that "appear to contain sensitive and highly classified material." The Pentagon has referred the issue to the Department of Justice, which has opened a criminal investigation. How different is the leak from WikiLeaks in 2013? Any leak of secret diplomatic talk or secret documents has ramifications. US and the world hasn't forgotten the shockwaves WikiLeaks created in 2013. Leak of more than 700,000 documents certainly has the potential to completely destroy the strategies of a nation. After WikiLeaks, then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had expressed fears that world will now be scared of talking to US diplomats for the fear of conversation being leaked. Similar opinions were expressed about United States' ability to gather intelligence in the future. Leaks caused by Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden were borne out of ideological motives. Both of them had said that they wanted to bring to light what they thought were transgressions by the United States. “This time it doesn’t look ideological,” said Dmitri Alperovitch, the Russia-born chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator, best known for pioneering work in cybersecurity. Alperovitch was quoted by The New York Times. NYT said that the first appearance of some of the leaked documents was on some gaming platforms. So did a few gamers, wanting to correct each other, stoke the entire thing while fiercely debating the Ukraine war? At this point in time at least, we do not know for sure. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Explained: Why the US is worried about latest leak of secret documents

The Department of Justice has launched an inquiry into the recent social media postings of what appear to be a large number of US intelligence documents. The probe takes place as further records that span everything from US help for Ukraine to details about important US allies like Israel surface on Friday, increasing the ramifications of the already concerning leaks. Following social media posts of what appeared to be sensitive information on the war in Ukraine, the Pentagon announced on Thursday that it was investigating the situation.

US scrambles to find source of leaked Ukraine intel

Pentagon leak says Kyiv's air defence could run out of missiles

Three US officials told Reuters that Russia or pro-Russian elements are probably responsible for the leak of several classified U.S. military documents that were posted on social media and provide a partial, month-old snapshot of the conflict in Ukraine. Separately, the Justice Department said it was looking into the leak.

Pentagon investigating leak of secret Ukrainian documents

US officials said on Friday (April 7) that Russia or pro-Russian elements were likely to be behind the leak of several secret documents posted on social media. These documents appeared to have been altered to lower the number of casualties suffered by Russian troops. The unnamed officials were quoted by Reuters.

There was no immediate comment from Kremlin and Russian embassy in Washington.

Reuters said that The Pentagon has declined to comment on the authenticity of the documents circulating on sites including Twitter and Telegram, which are dated March 1 and bear markings showing them classified as "Secret" and "Top Secret."

A leak of such sensitive documents is highly unusual and would automatically trigger an investigation.

"We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the Department (of Defense) is reviewing the matter," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said.

One document posted on social media said 16,000 to 17,500 Russian forces had been killed since Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine.

The United States believes that actual figure is much higher, at around 200,000 Russians killed and wounded, officials say.

The Pentagon's review of the apparent leak was first reported by the New York Times.

Russia attacked Ukraine in February last year. After initial gains, the Russian forces were forced to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counterattack.

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

US officials said on Friday (April 7) that Russia or pro-Russian elements were likely to be behind the leak of several secret documents posted on social media. These documents appeared to have been altered to lower the number of casualties suffered by Russian troops.

US officials said on Friday (April 7) that Russia or pro-Russian elements were likely to be behind the leak of several secret documents posted on social media. These documents appeared to have been altered to lower the number of casualties suffered by Russian troops. The unnamed officials were quoted by Reuters. There was no immediate comment from Kremlin and Russian embassy in Washington. Reuters said that The Pentagon has declined to comment on the authenticity of the documents circulating on sites including Twitter and Telegram, which are dated March 1 and bear markings showing them classified as "Secret" and "Top Secret." A leak of such sensitive documents is highly unusual and would automatically trigger an investigation. "We are aware of the reports of social media posts and the Department (of Defense) is reviewing the matter," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. One document posted on social media said 16,000 to 17,500 Russian forces had been killed since Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. The United States believes that actual figure is much higher, at around 200,000 Russians killed and wounded, officials say. The Pentagon's review of the apparent leak was first reported by the New York Times. Russia attacked Ukraine in February last year. After initial gains, the Russian forces were forced to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counterattack. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US officials think Russia is behind military documents leak: Report

A Pentagon official and a Harvard scientist have made a stunning proposition. They have suggested that an alien mothership is present in our solar system, which may be monitoring the earth with tiny probes. Are aliens watching us? How credible is the story? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Alien spaceship lurking in our solar system?

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A top Pentagon official has arrived in Taiwan, reports suggested on Friday (February 17). The visit by Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Chase, assumes significance when Beijing's ties with Washington have shown no signs of improvement. The balloon row is the latest to sour the relations of the two countries.&nbsp;

In a report by news agency Reuters, a Pentagon spokesperson refused to comment on the visit but referred to the threat faced by Taiwan because of China. "We don't have a comment on specific operations.. but I would highlight that our support for, and defence relationship with, Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China," the report quoted the spokesperson as saying.&nbsp;

Last year, the visit to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi - the then House Speaker - had prompted an angry response from Beijing. Quoting Taiwan’s Defence Minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, the British news platform the Guardian reported he did not confirm the visit. “If any team that is friendly to us want to visit, they will let us know. Suggestions that are beneficial to Taiwan’s defence operations are very good, and they are all good opportunities," he said.&nbsp;

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The visit also comes at a time when a group of Chinese officials are in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. Their arrival was reportedly followed by protests from pro-Independence activists.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sanctions-imposed-by-china-on-lockheed-martin-and-raytheon-over-taiwan-arms-sales-562840">Sanctions imposed by China on Lockheed Martin and Raytheon over Taiwan arms sales</a>

Earlier this week, the Taiwanese government allowed the trip of six Chinese officials, lead by Liu Xiaodong, deputy head of the Shanghai office of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, to attend the Lantern Festival in Taipei, at the invitation of the city government.&nbsp;

(With agency inputs)&nbsp;

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A top Pentagon official has arrived in Taiwan, reports suggested on Friday (February 17). The visit by Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Chase, assumes significance when Beijing's ties with Washington have shown no signs of improvement.

A top Pentagon official has arrived in Taiwan, reports suggested on Friday (February 17). The visit by Michael Chase, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Chase, assumes significance when Beijing's ties with Washington have shown no signs of improvement. The balloon row is the latest to sour the relations of the two countries. In a report by news agency Reuters, a Pentagon spokesperson refused to comment on the visit but referred to the threat faced by Taiwan because of China. "We don't have a comment on specific operations.. but I would highlight that our support for, and defence relationship with, Taiwan remains aligned against the current threat posed by the People's Republic of China," the report quoted the spokesperson as saying. Last year, the visit to Taiwan by Nancy Pelosi - the then House Speaker - had prompted an angry response from Beijing. Quoting Taiwan’s Defence Minister, Chiu Kuo-cheng, the British news platform the Guardian reported he did not confirm the visit. “If any team that is friendly to us want to visit, they will let us know. Suggestions that are beneficial to Taiwan’s defence operations are very good, and they are all good opportunities," he said. × The visit also comes at a time when a group of Chinese officials are in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei. Their arrival was reportedly followed by protests from pro-Independence activists. Also read: Sanctions imposed by China on Lockheed Martin and Raytheon over Taiwan arms sales Earlier this week, the Taiwanese government allowed the trip of six Chinese officials, lead by Liu Xiaodong, deputy head of the Shanghai office of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, to attend the Lantern Festival in Taipei, at the invitation of the city government. (With agency inputs) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Top Pentagon official in Taiwan amid stir against visit by Chinese group: Reports

Six days after shooting down an alleged Chinese spy balloon, a U.S fighter jet shot down another unidentified object drifting high over Alaska. Pentagon described it as a high altitude object which was the size of a small car.

Pentagon: High-altitude object was the size of a small car

The US state department has approved the potential sale of long-range missiles, launchers and rockets to Poland. According to Pentagon, the deal is valued at ten billion dollars.

U.S. approves $10 bn sale of Himars

The United States is tracking a suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon that has been flying over the country for a couple of days, a senior defence official in the Pentagon said&nbsp;on Thursday. The citing of the Chinese spy balloon might prove to be another thorn in the US-China relationship.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military officials thought about&nbsp;shooting the balloon down over Montana but decided not to go ahead as the debris might endanger people on the ground, a senior defence official told reporters Thursday.

Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said that the Pentagon has been tracking the balloon for several days as it travelled over the northern United States.

"The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now," Ryder told reporters.

“We are confident that this high-altitude surveillance balloon belongs to the (People’s Republic of China),” he added.

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Does the balloon pose any security threat?

"The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground," Ryder said.

Ryder further said that the balloon's path would carry it over a number of sensitive sites, although the risk of any significant intelligence loss is not currently present. Notably, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana is home to 150 intercontinental ballistic missile silos.

“It does not create significant value added over and above what the PRC is likely able to collect through things like satellites in low Earth orbit,” Ryder said, referring to the fact that Chinese spy satellites in low Earth orbit can offer similar or better intelligence.

Balloon was over Montana when the officials thought of shooting it down

US military leaders had contemplated shooting the spy balloon down over Montana on Wednesday, but decided against it fearing safety risk from the debris.

The military had even mobilised assets, including F-22 fighter jets, in case Biden ordered the balloon be shot down.

"We wanted to make sure we were coordinating with civil authorities to empty out the airspace around that potential area," the official said.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-urges-canada-not-to-engage-in-political-manipulation-over-uyghur-muslims-558205">China urges Canada not to engage in 'political manipulation' over Uyghur Muslims</a>

"But even with those protective measures taken, it was the judgment of our military commanders that we didn't drive the risk down low enough. So we didn't take the shot."

Blinken's visit to China

The news comes just days before&nbsp;US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's scheduled visit to China. Managing heightened tensions between the two powers is at the top of the agenda.

Blinken’s visit to Beijing will mark the first trip to the Asian country by the United States’ top diplomat since 2018.&nbsp;Last November, Biden had met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Relations between China and the United States have been tense of late, clashing over Taiwan, China's human rights record and its military activity in the South China Sea.

US officials have conveyed the surveillance balloon issue to their Chinese counterparts in Beijing and in Washington.

"We have communicated to them the seriousness with which we take this issue," the official added.

China reaction

Reacting to the report, China said Friday that it was working to verify the facts around the claims that Beijing flew a spy balloon over the US.&nbsp;

"Verification is under way," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing. "Until the facts are clear, making conjectures and hyping up the issue will not help to properly resolve it."

"China is a responsible country and always abides strictly by international law. We have no intention of violating the territory or airspace of any sovereign country," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States is tracking a suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon that has been flying over the country for a couple of days, a senior defence official in the Pentagon said on Thursday.

The United States is tracking a suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon that has been flying over the country for a couple of days, a senior defence official in the Pentagon said on Thursday. The citing of the Chinese spy balloon might prove to be another thorn in the US-China relationship. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military officials thought about shooting the balloon down over Montana but decided not to go ahead as the debris might endanger people on the ground, a senior defence official told reporters Thursday. Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said that the Pentagon has been tracking the balloon for several days as it travelled over the northern United States. "The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now," Ryder told reporters. “We are confident that this high-altitude surveillance balloon belongs to the (People’s Republic of China),” he added. × Does the balloon pose any security threat? "The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground," Ryder said. Ryder further said that the balloon's path would carry it over a number of sensitive sites, although the risk of any significant intelligence loss is not currently present. Notably, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana is home to 150 intercontinental ballistic missile silos. “It does not create significant value added over and above what the PRC is likely able to collect through things like satellites in low Earth orbit,” Ryder said, referring to the fact that Chinese spy satellites in low Earth orbit can offer similar or better intelligence. Balloon was over Montana when the officials thought of shooting it down US military leaders had contemplated shooting the spy balloon down over Montana on Wednesday, but decided against it fearing safety risk from the debris. The military had even mobilised assets, including F-22 fighter jets, in case Biden ordered the balloon be shot down. "We wanted to make sure we were coordinating with civil authorities to empty out the airspace around that potential area," the official said. Also Read | China urges Canada not to engage in 'political manipulation' over Uyghur Muslims "But even with those protective measures taken, it was the judgment of our military commanders that we didn't drive the risk down low enough. So we didn't take the shot." Blinken's visit to China The news comes just days before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's scheduled visit to China. Managing heightened tensions between the two powers is at the top of the agenda. Blinken’s visit to Beijing will mark the first trip to the Asian country by the United States’ top diplomat since 2018. Last November, Biden had met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Relations between China and the United States have been tense of late, clashing over Taiwan, China's human rights record and its military activity in the South China Sea. US officials have conveyed the surveillance balloon issue to their Chinese counterparts in Beijing and in Washington. "We have communicated to them the seriousness with which we take this issue," the official added. China reaction Reacting to the report, China said Friday that it was working to verify the facts around the claims that Beijing flew a spy balloon over the US. "Verification is under way," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing. "Until the facts are clear, making conjectures and hyping up the issue will not help to properly resolve it." "China is a responsible country and always abides strictly by international law. We have no intention of violating the territory or airspace of any sovereign country," she said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over the US being tracked, Pentagon says

A four-star US General has warned of a possible conflict with China most likely over Taiwan as early as 2025. He urged his commanders to push their units to achieve maximum operational battle readiness this year and internal memorandum over the issue emerged in social media and was later confirmed genuine by the Pentagon.

US to fight China in 2025? US General warns of possible conflict

US General Michigan calls for battle readiness amid warning of possible conflict

The United States military carried out a strike in Somalia and killed at least 30 al-Shabaab fighters, said the US Africa Command in a statement&nbsp;on Saturday (January 21). The “collective self-defence strike”, as the US military described it, took place in the central Somalian town of Galcad, on Friday, where the East African nation’s military was engaged in heavy fighting. However, there was no US military present on the ground when the airstrike occurred, said Washington’s defence official.&nbsp; 
 
The operation was about 260 km away from the north of the capital Mogadishu where the Somali forces were attacked by at least 100 al-Shabaab fighters, said the statement. According to the Somali government and the militant group, at least seven soldiers were killed after the al-Shabaab fighters stormed the Somali military base in Galcad, reported Reuters. The US Africa Command, which is the American government’s presence on the continent, also said no civilians were injured or killed due to the remote location at which the strike occurred but three vehicles were destroyed.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/somalia-eight-killed-in-roadside-bombing-al-shabaab-claims-responsibility-552848">Somalia: Eight killed in roadside bombing, Al-Shabaab claims responsibility</a>

Meanwhile, a statement by Somalia’s Information Ministry said their soldiers had killed at least 100 fighters and destroyed five gun-mounted pick-up vehicles known as technicals, said a&nbsp;Reuters report. The militant group has been fighting since 2006 to topple the country’s government. Last year, as a part of the ongoing support by US President Joe Biden’s administration, Washington approved Pentagon’s request to redeploy troops in the region to counter the militant group.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/al-shabaab-kill-six-in-raid-on-somalia-village-they-recently-lost-549979">Al-Shabaab kill six in raid on Somalia village they recently lost</a>

In the statement, on Saturday, the US military said, “Somalia remains central to stability and security in all of East Africa. US Africa Command’s forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to help give them the tools they need to defeat al-Shabaab, the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world”. So far, the US forces have conducted several strikes in Somalia and killed many members of al-Shabaab. The last one took place in December near the Somalian city of Cadale which resulted in the death of at least six al-Shabaab militants.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
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The United States military carried out a strike in Somalia and killed at least 30 al-Shabaab fighters, said the US Africa Command in a statement on Saturday (January 21).

The United States military carried out a strike in Somalia and killed at least 30 al-Shabaab fighters, said the US Africa Command in a statement on Saturday (January 21). The “collective self-defence strike”, as the US military described it, took place in the central Somalian town of Galcad, on Friday, where the East African nation’s military was engaged in heavy fighting. However, there was no US military present on the ground when the airstrike occurred, said Washington’s defence official. The operation was about 260 km away from the north of the capital Mogadishu where the Somali forces were attacked by at least 100 al-Shabaab fighters, said the statement. According to the Somali government and the militant group, at least seven soldiers were killed after the al-Shabaab fighters stormed the Somali military base in Galcad, reported Reuters. The US Africa Command, which is the American government’s presence on the continent, also said no civilians were injured or killed due to the remote location at which the strike occurred but three vehicles were destroyed. ALSO READ | Somalia: Eight killed in roadside bombing, Al-Shabaab claims responsibility Meanwhile, a statement by Somalia’s Information Ministry said their soldiers had killed at least 100 fighters and destroyed five gun-mounted pick-up vehicles known as technicals, said a Reuters report. The militant group has been fighting since 2006 to topple the country’s government. Last year, as a part of the ongoing support by US President Joe Biden’s administration, Washington approved Pentagon’s request to redeploy troops in the region to counter the militant group. ALSO READ | Al-Shabaab kill six in raid on Somalia village they recently lost In the statement, on Saturday, the US military said, “Somalia remains central to stability and security in all of East Africa. US Africa Command’s forces will continue training, advising, and equipping partner forces to help give them the tools they need to defeat al-Shabaab, the largest and most deadly al-Qaeda network in the world”. So far, the US forces have conducted several strikes in Somalia and killed many members of al-Shabaab. The last one took place in December near the Somalian city of Cadale which resulted in the death of at least six al-Shabaab militants. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US military says strike in Somalia killed at least 30 members of militant group al-Shabaab

The Patriot missile defence system training for about 100 Ukrainian troops will commence next week in the United States. By inviting Ukrainian soldiers for weapon training, the US administration has intensified its involvement in the Ukraine-Russia war, bringing Kyiv one step closer to gaining the long-desired defence against Russia's ongoing missile attacks.

The Ukrainians are set to travel to Fort Sill in Oklahoma as early as next week. Fort Sill is one of the Army's four basic training sites which also houses the field artillery school that has been&nbsp;training army personnel for more than a century.

Unlike other advanced systems deployed to Ukraine, notably the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), Patriots need extensive, hands-on training outside of Europe.

The troops will then begin their months-long training programme to learn how to operate a Patriot battery, which is capable of shooting down attack planes, cruise missiles, and some ballistic missiles before they even strike targets, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department said, Time reported.

“The training will prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain, and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months,” Ryder told reporters. “Once fielded, the Patriot will contribute to Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, and provide another capability to Ukrainian people to defend themselves against Russia’s ongoing aerial assaults.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionnews.com/world/russia-will-destroy-us-patriot-missiles-says-putin-546482" hreflang="en">Russian forces will destroy US Patriot missiles, I am 100 per cent confident, says Putin</a>

The truck-mounted surface-to-air guided missile defence system has eight launchers, each holding up to four interceptors, along with ground radar, a control centre, and a generator. To operate one Patriot battery, approximately 100 soldiers are required. The US Army has 16 Patriot battalions in total. Last week, Germany pleged a patriot battery to Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement that his nation would purchase for Ukraine a US-made National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). "This is the first Canadian donation of an air defence system to Ukraine," Canada's Defence Minister, Anita Anand, said on Twitter, CNN reported.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/videos/ukrainian-troops-to-train-on-patriot-missile-system-in-us-551337" hreflang="en">Ukrainian troops to train on Patriot missile system in U.S.</a>

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Patriot battery would significantly strengthen Kyiv's defences against the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the statement during his visit to the US in late December, Al Jazeera reported.

During a video address on Tuesday, Zelenskyy reiterated that Russia is assembling its forces for further escalation, so it is imperative that the West provides Ukraine with more high-tech weapons. “The free world has everything necessary to stop Russian aggression and bring about a historic defeat for the terrorist state,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Patriot missile defence system training for about 100 Ukrainian troops will commence next week in the United States. By inviting Ukrainian soldiers for weapon training, the US administration has intensified its involvement in the Ukraine-Russia war, bringing Kyiv one step closer to gaining the long-desired defence against Russia's ongoing missile attacks.

The Patriot missile defence system training for about 100 Ukrainian troops will commence next week in the United States. By inviting Ukrainian soldiers for weapon training, the US administration has intensified its involvement in the Ukraine-Russia war, bringing Kyiv one step closer to gaining the long-desired defence against Russia's ongoing missile attacks. The Ukrainians are set to travel to Fort Sill in Oklahoma as early as next week. Fort Sill is one of the Army's four basic training sites which also houses the field artillery school that has been training army personnel for more than a century. Unlike other advanced systems deployed to Ukraine, notably the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), Patriots need extensive, hands-on training outside of Europe. The troops will then begin their months-long training programme to learn how to operate a Patriot battery, which is capable of shooting down attack planes, cruise missiles, and some ballistic missiles before they even strike targets, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department said, Time reported. “The training will prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain, and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months,” Ryder told reporters. “Once fielded, the Patriot will contribute to Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, and provide another capability to Ukrainian people to defend themselves against Russia’s ongoing aerial assaults.” Also Read | Russian forces will destroy US Patriot missiles, I am 100 per cent confident, says Putin The truck-mounted surface-to-air guided missile defence system has eight launchers, each holding up to four interceptors, along with ground radar, a control centre, and a generator. To operate one Patriot battery, approximately 100 soldiers are required. The US Army has 16 Patriot battalions in total. Last week, Germany pleged a patriot battery to Ukraine. On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement that his nation would purchase for Ukraine a US-made National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). "This is the first Canadian donation of an air defence system to Ukraine," Canada's Defence Minister, Anita Anand, said on Twitter, CNN reported. Watch | Ukrainian troops to train on Patriot missile system in U.S. Patriot battery would significantly strengthen Kyiv's defences against the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the statement during his visit to the US in late December, Al Jazeera reported. During a video address on Tuesday, Zelenskyy reiterated that Russia is assembling its forces for further escalation, so it is imperative that the West provides Ukraine with more high-tech weapons. “The free world has everything necessary to stop Russian aggression and bring about a historic defeat for the terrorist state,” he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ukrainian troops to begin training on Patriot missiles in US next week, Pentagon confirms

Senior military officers reported that despite the Pentagon's renewed efforts, there is still no proof that aliens have visited Earth or crashed here. US defence officials said on Friday that the Pentagon's efforts to look into anomalous, unidentified objects, whether they are in space, the sky, or underwater, have generated hundreds of fresh reports that are currently being looked into.

US: Pentagon to investigate all new reports of UFOs

A new Pentagon office, which was set up in July to identify reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), has received 'several hundreds' of new UFO reports, but there is no evidence of alien life till now, the office said on Friday.&nbsp;

The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is responsible for tracking unidentified objects in the sky, underwater or in space. It is also responsible for tracking any object that can move from one domain to the next, a report by the Associated Press said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/world-ufo-day-2022-why-do-we-celebrate-the-day-for-the-unknown-whats-its-significance-493793">World UFO Day 2022: Why do we celebrate the day for the unknown? What's its significance?</a>

The AARO was established following over a year of unidentified flying objects that military pilots have observed. In June last year, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported that between 2004 and 2021, there were 144 such encounters. Eighty of these encounters were captured on multiple sensors.&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Dr Sean Kirkpatrick, AARO's director, said that the Pentagon received several hundreds of UFO reports.&nbsp;Kirkpatrick did not rule out the possibility of extraterrestrial life and said he was taking a scientific approach to the research.&nbsp;

"I would just say that we are structuring our analysis to be very thorough and rigorous. We will go through it all," he told reporters.&nbsp;

Kirkpatrick pointed out that one reason for these hundreds of reports coming in might be the outreach the office did to destigmatise reporting potential encounters.&nbsp;

The AARO director also said there is a lot of new technology such as drones, hypersonic missiles stealth bombers and stealth fighters- fielded by both the United States and China- that could be mistaken for UFOs.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;U<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ufo-sightings-in-us-rose-sharply-during-the-pandemic-data-reveals-377203">FO sightings in US rose sharply during the pandemic, data reveals</a>

The office has been coordinating with the Pentagon and the US intelligence community to get the signatures of US technology to rule out those aircraft or drones, he added, the Associated Press report further said.&nbsp;

In May this year, the US Congress held a briefing on UFOs, its first hearing on the topic in more than 50 years. Multiple members had expressed concerns that whether or not the objects are alien or potentially new, unknown technology being flown by China, Russia or another potential adversary, the unknown posed a security risk to the US.&nbsp;

“(So far) we have not seen anything, and we’re still very early on, that would lead us to believe that any of the objects that we have seen are of alien origin,” the US under secretary of defence for intelligence and security Ronald Moultrie said on Friday, adding any unauthorised system in the country's airspace is deemed as a threat to safety.

Moultrie said the office (AARO) was also working on ways to improve the ability to identify unknown objects.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A new Pentagon office, which was set up in July to identify reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), has received 'several hundreds' of new UFO reports, but there is no evidence of alien life till now, the office said on Friday.

A new Pentagon office, which was set up in July to identify reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), has received 'several hundreds' of new UFO reports, but there is no evidence of alien life till now, the office said on Friday. The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is responsible for tracking unidentified objects in the sky, underwater or in space. It is also responsible for tracking any object that can move from one domain to the next, a report by the Associated Press said. ALSO READ | World UFO Day 2022: Why do we celebrate the day for the unknown? What's its significance? The AARO was established following over a year of unidentified flying objects that military pilots have observed. In June last year, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported that between 2004 and 2021, there were 144 such encounters. Eighty of these encounters were captured on multiple sensors. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Dr Sean Kirkpatrick, AARO's director, said that the Pentagon received several hundreds of UFO reports. Kirkpatrick did not rule out the possibility of extraterrestrial life and said he was taking a scientific approach to the research. "I would just say that we are structuring our analysis to be very thorough and rigorous. We will go through it all," he told reporters. Kirkpatrick pointed out that one reason for these hundreds of reports coming in might be the outreach the office did to destigmatise reporting potential encounters. The AARO director also said there is a lot of new technology such as drones, hypersonic missiles stealth bombers and stealth fighters- fielded by both the United States and China- that could be mistaken for UFOs. ALSO READ | UFO sightings in US rose sharply during the pandemic, data reveals The office has been coordinating with the Pentagon and the US intelligence community to get the signatures of US technology to rule out those aircraft or drones, he added, the Associated Press report further said. In May this year, the US Congress held a briefing on UFOs, its first hearing on the topic in more than 50 years. Multiple members had expressed concerns that whether or not the objects are alien or potentially new, unknown technology being flown by China, Russia or another potential adversary, the unknown posed a security risk to the US. “(So far) we have not seen anything, and we’re still very early on, that would lead us to believe that any of the objects that we have seen are of alien origin,” the US under secretary of defence for intelligence and security Ronald Moultrie said on Friday, adding any unauthorised system in the country's airspace is deemed as a threat to safety. Moultrie said the office (AARO) was also working on ways to improve the ability to identify unknown objects. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pentagon receives 'several hundreds' of new UFO reports, no evidence of alien life so far

The Pentagon officials are in the final stages of finalising a plan to send a Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine to counter Russian aerial assaults.

US finalising plans to send Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine

The Pentagon on Wednesday slammed Chinese intrusion attempts in India's northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state's Tawang sector, saying that the move reflects the "growing trend by China to assert itself and to be provocative in areas directed towards US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific".

WION Dispatch: U.S. slams China's LAC intrusion attempt, lauds India's de-escalation efforts

The Pentagon said on Wednesday (December 7) that it has awarded cloud computing contracts worth USD 9 billion to Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle. Previous such deal has been scrapped due to dispute between two of these firms.

The Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) is a "multiple-award contract vehicle that will provide the DoD the opportunity to acquire commercial cloud capabilities and services directly from the commercial Cloud Service Providers," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Defense Department spokesperson Commander Jessica McNulty told AFP that JWCC is "composed of four contracts with a shared ceiling of $9 billion."&nbsp;

Pentagon had scrapped a USD 10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud computing contract, thus sidestepping bitter dispute between Amazon and Microsoft.

The Defense Department said the contract was canceled because it no longer met current needs, and that it would start a process for a new "multi-cloud/multi-vendor" computing contract.

Microsoft had won the previous contract in 2019. This had led to challenge from Amazon with allegations that company was shut out of the deal because of what it called Trump's vendetta against the company and its chief executive Jeff Bezos.&nbsp;

Amazon was considered front runner for JEDI considering Amazon Wed Services dominates cloud computing arena. The company already supplies classified servers for government agencies like the CIA.

Officials said at the time that instead of going forward with the deal in the face of litigation, the government would start over with the aim of getting the most up-to-date technology.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Pentagon said on Wednesday (December 7) that it has awarded cloud computing contracts worth USD 9 billion to Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle. Previous such deal has been scrapped due to dispute between two of these firms.

The Pentagon said on Wednesday (December 7) that it has awarded cloud computing contracts worth USD 9 billion to Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle. Previous such deal has been scrapped due to dispute between two of these firms. The Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) is a "multiple-award contract vehicle that will provide the DoD the opportunity to acquire commercial cloud capabilities and services directly from the commercial Cloud Service Providers," the Pentagon said in a statement. Defense Department spokesperson Commander Jessica McNulty told AFP that JWCC is "composed of four contracts with a shared ceiling of $9 billion." Pentagon had scrapped a USD 10 billion Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud computing contract, thus sidestepping bitter dispute between Amazon and Microsoft. The Defense Department said the contract was canceled because it no longer met current needs, and that it would start a process for a new "multi-cloud/multi-vendor" computing contract. Microsoft had won the previous contract in 2019. This had led to challenge from Amazon with allegations that company was shut out of the deal because of what it called Trump's vendetta against the company and its chief executive Jeff Bezos. Amazon was considered front runner for JEDI considering Amazon Wed Services dominates cloud computing arena. The company already supplies classified servers for government agencies like the CIA. Officials said at the time that instead of going forward with the deal in the face of litigation, the government would start over with the aim of getting the most up-to-date technology. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Pentagon awards $9 billion cloud computing contracts to four tech firms

A Pentagon report claims China considers Pakistan its only 'all weather strategic partner'. Is Pakistan really China's strategic partner or a vassal state? Here's what Molly Gambhir has to say.

Gravitas: China calls Pakistan only 'all-weather strategic partner'

The Pentagon has said that US defense secretary Lloyd Austin has spoken with his Turkish counterpart and expressed opposition to Turkiye launching a new operation in Syria.

Washington warns against Syrian incursion, Pentagon chief cautions Turkiye on strikes

Why have Syria Kurds halted all joint counter-terrorism operations with the US-led coalition?

China's nuclear arsenal is expected to more than triple to 1,500 warheads by 2035, according to a Pentagon report released on Tuesday that also highlighted the country's air force's rising level of competence.

China's nukes to more than triple to 1,500 warheads by 2035: Pentagon

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