Ex-Army Officer Admits Sharing Ukraine War Secrets

Retired Army lieutenant colonel David Slater, who worked as a civilian for the U.S. Air Force at the Strategic Command in Nebraska and held top secret clearance, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to share classified details about the Russia-Ukraine war on a foreign online dating platform. Slater admitted to transmitting sensitive information about military targets and Russian capabilities to an individual who claimed to be a Ukrainian woman, regularly requested confidential intelligence, and called him her 'secret agent.' In exchange for his plea, two other charges were dropped, with prosecutors recommending a prison sentence between five years and ten months and seven years and three months, though the maximum is 10 years. The final sentence will be decided at a hearing scheduled for October 8. Authorities criticized Slater for failing to protect national defense information despite his military experience, and he remains free until sentencing. The case highlights the persistent risks of insider threats and the vulnerability of online platforms to national security breaches.