Sensitive Defense Ministry documents found by a member of the public at a bus stop Yorkshire News

A member of the public has found sensitive Ministry of Defense (MoD) documents at a bus stop, according to reports.

The Defense Ministry said the department launched an investigation after the employee concerned about the loss of documents reported it last week.

The documents are said to contain details about HMS Defender and the military.

The documents included a set of documents discussing the possible Russian reaction to HMS Defender’s trip through Ukrainian waters off the coast of Crimea on Wednesday (June 23).

The other newspapers drew up plans for a possible UK military presence in Afghanistan.

The 50 pages of classified information were found in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in Kent early Tuesday (June 22).

The member of the public who found the documents contacted the BBC to report it and wishes to remain anonymous.

The Defense Ministry said the department was informed of an incident involving the recovery of sensitive defense documents by a member of the public last week.

A spokesperson said: “The department takes information security very seriously and an investigation has been launched.

“The employee in question reported the loss at that time. It would be inappropriate to comment further. “

Shadow Defense Secretary John Healey described the incident as “embarrassing” and said it was “concerning to ministers.”

He added: “It is vital that the internal investigation launched by the Secretary of State immediately establishes how highly classified documents were removed from the Ministry of Defense in the first place and then abandoned in this way.

“Ultimately, ministers must be able to confirm to the public that national security has not been undermined, that military or security operations have not been affected, and that proper procedures are in place to ensure that nothing like this happens again.” .

HMS Defender is part of the UK Carrier Strike Group and is currently targeting the Indo-Pacific region.

Earlier this month it was announced that he would be temporarily parting ways with the group to carry out his “own set of missions” in the Black Sea.

The Type 45 destroyer sparked a clash with Russian forces on Wednesday after it traversed waters south of the Crimean peninsula, which Russia unofficially annexed to Ukraine in 2014, in a move that was not recognized by international powers.

Moscow responded with several aircraft monitoring the ship at different heights, the lowest being about 500 feet, which Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said was “neither safe nor professional.”

Russia also claimed that its ships fired warning shots at the destroyer, although this was dismissed by the UK government, which said only a routine “artillery drill” was carried out.

Moscow has threatened to retaliate if the incident is repeated, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted the warship was “absolutely right” in making the journey from Odessa in Ukraine to Georgia as an internationally recognized transit route.