Suspect in Ukraine document leak arrested

An Air National Guardsman in Massachusetts suspected of leaking classified documents about the war in Ukraine was arrested Thursday.

Hi, it's Julius with an update on Russia-Ukraine and other top world stories.

Jack Teixeira, 21, is charged with the alleged unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified national defense information, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

"FBI agents took Teixeira into custody earlier this afternoon without incident," Garland said. "We will share more information at the appropriate time."

The leaked documents appear to be highly-sensitive reports tied to the war effort in Ukraine, including data on military activities like U.S. drone spy planes in the area and Ukrainian forces’ use of ammunition. More than 100 U.S. documents were leaked in all.

Teixeira oversaw a private Discord channel called Thug Shaker Central, according to multiple reports. The private chat group was comprised of about 20 to 30 people, mostly young men and teens, the reports say. 

Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder on Thursday declined to comment on the investigation, referring questions to the Justice Department.

Stringent guidelines are in place to protect classified information and are under review, Ryder said.

The leak, Ryder said, “was a deliberate criminal act.”

More on the Ukraine-Russia crisis:

• Russia may be willing to discuss a prisoner swap involving jailed American journalist Evan Gershkovich after a court delivers its verdict on espionage charges, a top Russian diplomat said Thursday.
• Norway said it is expelling 15 Russian diplomats suspected of spying while working at the Russian Embassy in Oslo. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt described the expelled Russians as “intelligence officers under diplomatic cover.”