Classified UK defense documents found at bus stop in England

Classified documents from Britain's defense ministry containing details about a British warship and Russia's potential reaction to its passage through the Black Sea have been found at a bus stop in southern England, the BBC reported on Sunday.

The BBC said the documents, almost 50 pages in all, were found "in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early on Tuesday morning" by a member of the public, who wanted to remain anonymous.

The Ministry of Defense said it had been informed last week of "an incident in which sensitive defense papers were recovered by a member of the public".

"The department takes the security of information extremely seriously and an investigation has been launched. The employee concerned reported the loss at the time. It would be inappropriate to comment further," a spokesperson said.

The BBC reported that the documents, which included emails and PowerPoint presentations, related to British warship Defender, which sailed through waters off the Crimean peninsula which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014 last week.

Russia said on Wednesday it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the ship to chase it out of what the Kremlin says are its territorial waters but which Britain and most of the world say belong to Ukraine.

It later summoned the British ambassador in Moscow for a formal diplomatic scolding over what it described as a provocation.

Britain rejected Russia's account of the incident. It said it believed any shots fired were a pre-announced Russian "gunnery exercise", and that no bombs had been dropped.

It confirmed the destroyer had sailed through what it said were Ukrainian waters, describing its path as "innocent passage" in accordance with international law of the sea.

The BBC said the documents suggested the ship's mission was conducted in the expectation that Russia might respond aggressively.

"What do we understand about the possible 'welcome party'…?" asked an official at Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), the UK's tri-service headquarters at Northwood, according to the BBC.

Source: VOA 

Reader's Comments

LATEST STORIES

NUP admits lobbying for UK sanctions
top-stories By Richard Olwenyi
1 hour ago
NUP admits lobbying for UK sanctions
Congolese rebels seize key coltan mining town
rwanda By Nile Post Editor
1 hour ago
Congolese rebels seize key coltan mining town
France's Macron urges Rwanda to 'halt support' for M23 rebels
top-stories By Lindah Nduwumwami
1 hour ago
France's Macron urges Rwanda to 'halt support' for M23 rebels
Kenya appoints first woman air force chief
top-stories By Nile Post Editor
1 hour ago
Kenya appoints first woman air force chief
Huawei launches cloud program for Ugandan SMEs
business By Kenneth Kazibwe
1 hour ago
Huawei launches cloud program for Ugandan SMEs