Classified British military documents were discovered in a soggy heap at a bus stop in the southern parts of England, which allegedly detail official plans of a warship that traveled off the coast of Crimea last week and extended presence in Afghanistan.
The 50-page document was discovered early Tuesday behind a bus stop in Kent. Afterward, the Ministry of Defence immediately announced they were conducting an investigation to look into the authenticity of the papers.
Misplaced Classified Documents
Some of the contents of the document were classified as "official sensitive," which is a low-level classification. However, the papers also included one that detailed Britain's future plans in Afghanistan, which were marked with "Secret UK Eyes Only." Additionally, that section was addressed to Ben Wallace, the private secretary of defense.
According to reports, the classified document contained "highly sensitive recommendations" regarding the country's military footprint in war-stricken Afghanistan after NATO followed U.S. President Joe Biden's order to withdraw all troops in the region by Sep. 11.
The papers also detail American officials requesting British support in multiple key areas. It also sheds light on the UK's plans for British special forces that are still in Afghanistan after the completion of the withdrawal process, Politico reported.
In February 2020, Washington signed a deal with the Taliban for peace efforts. Since then, no Britons have lost their lives in Afghanistan. However, the document noted that peaceful times would not go on forever.
Allegedly, the papers also detailed the defense staff's plans prior to the departure of HMS Defender, a British navy destroyer that traveled through contested waters off the Crimean coast last Wednesday.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced it was conducting an investigation into an incident regarding sensitive defense papers that a public member discovered. The MoD employee related to the documents who reported them lost at the time. The person who found the documents resolved to remain anonymous.
Russian Counter-Intelligence
Russian officials said that more than 20 aircraft and two coast guard ships shadowed their navy destroyer during its near-12 mile sail. The UK government also denied Moscow's defense ministry's claim that a patrol ship fired warning shots while a jet bomber dropped explosives in the vessel's path.
Officials called the mission "Op Ditroite," which also became the topic of several high-level discussions. The documents showed that UK authorities speculated about Russia's reaction to the HMS Defender sailing close to Crimea, BBC reported.
Later, the British government announced the project was made in accordance with international law despite Russia claiming it breached their territory. The incident comes amid British officials considering the occupation of Crime as illegal, Business Insider reported.
Earlier this month, the British MoD was involved in another security gaffe when an email was accidentally sent to various government personnel. The online message contained the promotions of noncommissioned officers, including special forces members in the SAS's E Squadron.
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