A law enforcement official confirmed to NBC News that an arrest has been made in the Pentagon leak investigation. The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, according to U.S. officials speaking to NBC News on the condition of anonymity.
The officials stated that they had been tracking the individual for some time and anticipated the arrest.
The Washington Post reported that the individual responsible for the significant breach of classified Pentagon documents, leaked to social media, worked on a U.S. military base. The breach is considered the largest U.S. intelligence leak since Edward Snowden.
NBC has not independently verified the report, which primarily relies on an anonymous minor as its main source. The Post also claims to have reviewed approximately 300 photos of classified documents, most of which remain unreleased to the public.
In other news, the German Defense Ministry confirmed that Germany approved Poland's request to transfer five Soviet-designed fighter jets to Ukraine, as reported by the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Russia's Parliament passed legislation mandating the digitization of the country's draft registry.
Analysts argue that this move will result in the collection of more Russian citizens' data and increase government control over the population. Russian lawmakers and military bloggers have long advocated for more aggressive mobilization and enforcement efforts.
The battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut continues, with Russian forces making advances and claiming to have the city nearly surrounded. However, Ukrainian commanders dispute this assertion.
In Washington, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meeting. Yellen reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to supporting Ukraine's security as long as Russia's war continues.
Yellen stated, "Make no mistake, the United States has stood with Ukraine since day one of this war and we will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes."
She added that the U.S. has provided significant economic support since the war's onset and will continue to do so in the coming months, in addition to security and humanitarian assistance. Yellen also emphasized that the financial aid from the U.S. includes essential safeguards to ensure effective use and benefit for the people of Ukraine.