Former U.S. General in Ukraine Aid Role Misplaced Classified Maps, Injured After Alcohol-Fueled Dinner
A now-former U.S. Army general tasked with overseeing military support to Ukraine lost classified maps on a European train and later suffered a concussion following a dinner where heavy drinking occurred, according to a federal watchdog investigation released last week. The Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General (OIG) detailed these incidents in a 56-page report, which stemmed from three anonymous complaints about the general's conduct in early 2024.
Loss of Classified Documents During Train Travel
Maj. Gen. Antonio A. Aguto Jr., who served as commander of the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine (SAG-U) until his retirement in late 2024, improperly handed control of unsecured maps to his staff on two occasions while traveling by train. This led to the documents being lost for over 24 hours in early April 2024. The maps, stored in a tube due to their large size, were not properly locked or packaged as required, with witnesses noting that all traveling personnel were responsible for carrying them physically.
A Ukrainian security worker eventually found the maps on the train and returned them to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv after Aguto's staff initiated a search at his request. When questioned about the incident, Aguto defended his use of the maps, stating he frequently used them to brief officials on the situation in Ukraine as part of his duties.
Concussion Incident After Alcohol Consumption
Approximately six weeks later, on May 13, Aguto sustained a moderate-to-severe concussion after a dinner that involved extensive drinking. Witnesses reported that he was seen swaying, needed assistance exiting a car, and showed delayed responses following the meal, which included bottles of the potent Georgian brandy Chacha. Defense Department policy limits personnel to two alcoholic beverages at a time while on temporary duty in Ukraine.
Aguto admitted to being intoxicated to some degree, explaining that drinking was common during Ukrainian social and military engagements. He claimed he had received verbal permission to consume alcohol on official business, believing it was within appropriate guidelines. That night, he fell twice in his hotel room, hitting his head both times, and fell again the next morning at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, where an officer described him as disheveled and out of it.
Despite staff advice to rest, Aguto insisted on attending meetings with Ukrainian military leaders, his staff, and U.S. officials. He was initially cleared by an embassy doctor but later diagnosed with a concussion at a local hospital. The OIG concluded that his behavior at the embassy likely resulted from the concussion, not intoxication.
Additional Security Breaches and Investigation Outcome
The report also addressed claims that Aguto discussed classified information, including secret-level details on Ukrainian and Russian ground forces, in an unsecured open-air pavilion in July 2024. Although others cautioned him, he continued the discussion. The OIG recommended that this incident, along with a December 2023 security breach involving an electronic tablet, be reviewed by the U.S. European Command's Special Security Office.
Aguto disagreed with the OIG's findings, but this did not alter the report's conclusions. He relinquished command of SAG-U in August 2024 and retired as a major general that November. The Defense Department and European Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.
