Additional Coverage:
- US Army general who oversaw Ukraine left classified maps on train, overindulged in alcohol: IG report (foxnews.com)
Former U.S. Army General Under Scrutiny for Classified Document Mishap and Alcohol-Related Incident
Wiesbaden, Germany – A recent report from the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General has shed light on two concerning incidents involving Maj. Gen.
Antonio Aguto, the now-retired U.S. Army general who spearheaded military support efforts for Ukraine.
The report details the temporary loss of classified documents on a European train and an instance of excessive alcohol consumption leading to a concussion and impaired judgment during a high-level meeting.
Major General Aguto, who commanded the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine in Wiesbaden from 2022 until August 2024, was reportedly returning from Ukraine to Germany on April 3, 2024, when classified maps were left behind on a train. The maps, due to their size, were stored in a cylindrical tube rather than being properly double-wrapped or secured in a locked container, as mandated for classified materials.
According to the March 12 report, which included interviews with 33 witnesses, the travel party departed the train in Poland on the morning of April 4, inadvertently leaving the tube containing the classified documents. Although not the designated carrier, Aguto took responsibility for the temporary loss during subsequent investigations.
The classified documents were ultimately recovered and delivered to the U.S. Embassy by a Ukrainian train attendant approximately 24 hours after being reported missing.
In a separate incident on May 13, 2024, during a nine-day trip to Ukraine, Aguto consumed two 500 ml bottles of Chacha, a Georgian brandy with a high alcohol content (40-50%), at a military event. Later that evening, he suffered a fall in his hotel room due to loss of balance, resulting in a concussion.
The following morning, Aguto experienced another fall and was described as incoherent during a critical meeting with then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, and Ukrainian military generals. Witnesses reported Aguto appearing “not himself,” with one even questioning his suitability for the meeting.
While en route to the U.S. Embassy and already running late, Aguto fell again, hitting his jaw on concrete and tearing his jacket.
He arrived at the meeting looking “completely disheveled” and “out of it,” according to one witness. The U.S.
Ambassador to Ukraine expressed concern that Aguto might have been drugged. Others noted slurred speech and a “cognitively diminished” state.
A hospital visit later confirmed a moderate to severe concussion.
The report detailed Aguto’s appearance: “His appearance was disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot, he had a large and visible wound on his elbow, he spoke more slowly, he seemed confused, he asked the same question repeatedly, and he frequently returned to the same topic.” Investigators ultimately concluded that Aguto’s falls were a result of “overindulgence” of alcohol. Attempts to reach Aguto for comment were not immediately successful.