US military officer who leaked classified information about Russian-Ukrainian war on Discord gets 15 years in prison

Former US National Guard soldier Jack Teixeira was sentenced to 15 years in prison for distributing classified Pentagon documents about Russia's war against Ukraine.

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On 12 November, a federal court in Boston sentenced former Massachusetts National Guard soldier Jack Teixeira. He pleaded guilty to six counts of intentionally storing and transmitting information relating to national defence.

His actions, according to prosecutors, threatened US national security, put other servicemen at risk and worsened US relations with allies.

Teixeira, who worked as an IT specialist at a Cape Cod base, gained access to classified material, including maps, satellite imagery and intelligence, which he posted in a closed group on the Discord platform.

The published materials included confidential information about the Russian-Ukrainian war, including the plans of the Russian General Staff and the support provided by the United States to Ukraine. The leak also showed that US intelligence received information from almost every Russian intelligence service and warned Ukraine about planned Russian strikes.

Prosecutors demanded 17 years in prison, while defence lawyers asked for 11, arguing that Teixeira's actions were not intended to harm the United States.

Source: AP