Russia Launches Another Attack On Ukraine, Kyiv To Rethink Counter-Offensive Strategy After US Document Gets Leaked

US officials are trying to trace the source of the leak, reviewing how they share secrets internally and dealing with the diplomatic fallout.

Russia launched an attack on the frontline cities of eastern Ukraine on Monday while the Ukrainian officials allegedly are rethinking their counter-offensive strategy due to leaked classified US documents. Kyiv while talking about the recent attacks said that the Russians targetted Ukrainian positions around besieged Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region along with other cities and towns with air strikes and barrages. The largely ruined city of Donetsk in the Russian-controlled territory of Ukraine has been the biggest battleground of the war.

Commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi while talking about the attack on Bakhmut said, "The enemy switched to so-called scorched earth tactics from Syria. It is destroying buildings and positions with air strikes and artillery fire," reported Reuters.

The head of the Moscow-controlled part of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, said that 75% of the city is now held by Russian forces.

Reuters quoted Donetsk's regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko as saying, "The Russians have turned Avdiivka into a total ruin." While describing an air strike on Monday that destroyed a multi-storey building in Avdiivka, he said, "In total, around 1,800 people remain in Avdiivka, all of whom risk their lives every day."

The locals in the affected region have gotten so used to the explosions that if they're lining up somewhere to collect food and other aid and there's an attack somewhere nearby then they don't even flinch at the sound of the artillery.

"It used to be scarier but now we have got used to it. You don't even pay attention," Reuters quoted a 50-year-old humanitarian volunteer Maksym as saying.

As the battle rages, US media reported that Ukraine was forced to amend some military plans ahead of its long-anticipated counter-offensive because of the leak of dozens of secret documents.

US officials are trying to trace the source of the leak, reviewing how they share secrets internally and dealing with the diplomatic fallout.

The leaked document allegedly includes information on the Ukraine conflict, in which Washington helped Kyiv by supplying huge amounts of weapons and leading an international condemnation of Moscow's invasion.

When Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak was asked about the report, he said that Kyiv's strategic plans haven't been changed but specific tactics were always subject to change. 

Some U.S. officials and national security experts have allegedly said they suspect the leaker could be American, however, they have not yet ruled out pro-Russian actors, reported news agency Reuters.