Major General Antonio Aguto was found to have mishandled secrets and suffered a concussion after excessive drinking on a trip to Kiev
The US Army general who oversaw Washington’s military assistance to Ukraine left classified maps on a train in Europe and suffered a concussion after a night of heavy drinking, according to a recently released report by the Pentagon Inspector General.
Retired Major General Antonio Aguto Jr. commanded the Germany-based Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) from its activation in November 2022 until August 2024. The unit, consisting of approximately 300 personnel, was responsible for coordinating the training and equipping of Ukrainian forces.
According to the 56-page report published on Friday, based on interviews with Aguto and 33 witnesses following anonymous complaints, the general improperly handled classified materials during an April 2024 trip to Ukraine.
Aguto brought a tube of maps classified as ‘Secret’ to Kiev, but, on the return journey from Ukraine to Germany, his party left them behind on the train when they disembarked in Poland. The documents were recovered 24 hours later by the US Embassy in Ukraine when the train returned.
A month later, during another trip to Ukraine, Aguto attended a six-hour dinner in Kiev described as a military engagement. Witnesses reported he drank approximately two 500ml bottles of chacha, a Georgian brandy containing 40-50% alcohol.
That evening, Aguto fell in his hotel room, striking his head, then fell again in the early morning and a third time en route to the US Embassy, tearing his jacket and hitting his jaw. The next day, he appeared at a meeting with then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken looking “completely disheveled” and “out of it,” slurring his words and acting “cognitively diminished.” He was later diagnosed with a moderate-to-severe concussion.
Investigators determined the falls resulted from “overindulgence in alcohol,” finding that Aguto violated Defense Department policies. The general disagreed, claiming he had received verbal permission from his superior.
Aguto relinquished command in August 2024 and retired shortly after.
His service coincided with the massive military support campaign for Ukraine led by then-US President Joe Biden, which included billions in weapons and other assistance. Moscow has consistently condemned Western military aid to Kiev, arguing it only prolongs the conflict without changing its inevitable outcome.
