Army General Reportedly Left Secret War Map on Train and Suffered Drunken Concussion Before High-Level Meeting

Now-retired Major General Antonio Aguto reportedly misplaced classified maps labeled as “SECRET” while traveling on a train in Europe. This incident coincided with a prior event where he suffered a concussion due to excessive alcohol consumption before a scheduled meeting with then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Aguto, who oversaw U.S. military assistance to Ukraine from December 2022 until September 2024, lost track of the sensitive documents during his travels following a visit to Ukraine. A recent report from the Defense Department's Inspector General detailed the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The classified maps were kept in an unsecured cylindrical tube, measuring between 1.5 to 3 feet in length. Aguto was quoted saying, “I used these maps quite frequently regardless of where I’m at to brief officials on the status of what’s going on in Ukraine, uh which is my job.” This statement underscores the importance of the materials he mishandled.

In July 2022, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink issued a directive that restricted the transport of classified information across borders to “diplomatic couriers” or “specially authorized nondiplomatic couriers.” Aguto’s actions directly contravened this order, raising questions about his adherence to protocol.

While Aguto claimed to have entrusted the maps to his staff during the journey, the report indicated “insufficient evidence” regarding who was responsible for the documents when they were left behind on the train. The maps were later retrieved by Ukrainian nationals when the train returned to Kyiv.

In addition to the mishandling of classified materials, Aguto faced criticism for his behavior in Kyiv, where he reportedly engaged in “overindulgence in alcohol.” Witnesses noted that he consumed “two bottles of alcohol” with an unnamed companion, leading to a state of intoxication that resulted in a fall and subsequent concussion upon returning to his hotel room.

The report highlighted that Aguto’s condition affected his performance during a critical meeting with Blinken on May 14, 2024. A witness described detecting a “very strong smell of alcohol” on Aguto, further complicating his professional responsibilities.