(MENAFN) The US government has greater intelligence on Russian troops in Ukraine than on Ukrainian forces, according to The New York Times, citing US sources. According to the publication, Kiev is keeping its main military patron in the dark, potentially even misrepresenting Washington in order to safeguard the substantial flow of American military funding into the nation.

As per NYT sources, the Ukrainian government provides the US with "few classified briefings or details about their operational plans," and the US intelligence community's capacity to obtain material in Ukraine is restricted due to the US intelligence community's long-standing focus on Russia.

"When it came to the Ukrainians, the United States has worked on building up their intelligence service, not spying on their government," as stated in the report. Cloudy weather in Ukraine has impacted intelligence collection, restricting the efficacy of satellites in surveilling Ukrainian forces.

"Ukraine's secrecy has forced US military and intelligence officials to try and learn what they can from other countries operating in Ukraine, training sessions with Ukrainians and [from Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky's public comments," the NYT quoted.

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