Prisoner Charles Bronson, 69, is set for 'parole hearing in June'

However, the scandal is already being noted as one of the most damaging national security breaches in recent memory, which may have further implications into the legitimacy of US espionage into the future. 

Kateryna Rashevska, a lawyer from a Ukrainian NGO called Regional Centre for Human Rights, told the briefing they were collecting evidence to build a case that Russian officials deliberately prevented return of the Ukrainian children.

"By ignoring RT's completely clean record of four consecutive years and stating purely political reasons tied directly to the situation in Ukraine and yet completely unassociated to RT's operations, structure, management or editorial output, Ofcom has falsely judged RT to not be ‘fit and proper' and in doing so robbed the UK public of access to information."

In Ukraine, the documents suggested a misalignment between US and Ukrainian military strategies, with intelligence reports appearing to show the US continues to spy on top military and political leaders in the region.  

The International Criminal Court last month issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's children's rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine.

The three said they had been separated from their parents who were pressured by Russian authorities to send their children to Russian summer camps for what was billed as two weeks, from occupied parts of Kherson and Kharkiv regions.

In a statement, she said: "Ofcom has shown the UK public, and the regulatory community internationally, that, despite a well-constructed facade of independence, it is nothing more than a tool of government, bending to its media-suppressing will.

The media watchdog went on: "We take seriously the importance, in our democratic society, of a broadcaster's right to freedom of expression and the audience's right to receive information and ideas without undue interference.

Pregnancy? While some fans may have enjoyed Spears' Instagram post, others may be stuck thinking about the meaning behind one of her recent enigmatic posts which showed a close-up on a very pregnant stomach

American officials told the  that while the leak underscores the Pentagon's capacity to collect information on Russia's strategies, it remains to be seen whether their sources of information will be hampered by the revelations. 

"Meta must have a strict policy on hate speech regardless of the country and situation - I don't think deciding whether to allow promoting hate or calls for violence on a case-by-case basis is acceptable," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The leak comes amid speculation that a wave of classified document breaches could be being orchestrated by Russia, in what was described by a senior intelligence official as 'a nightmare for the Five Eyes' - a reference to the intelligence sharing agreement between the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. 

Bronson, who has changed his name to Salvador in honour of the artist Salvador Dalí, was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused £500,000 in damage in rooftop protests.

While the breach underscored America's ability to infiltrate Moscow's upper echelons, it has also sparked fears that Russian intelligence may now have a clearer understanding of exactly what the US does and does not already understand, providing an opportunity to cut off sources of information. 

Dreams: Earlier this month, she posted a picture of the pair of them on Sam's birthday, penning alongside the snap: 'Happy Birthday to my Fianc?(C) … I love you so much ❤️ … I want a family with you … I want it all with you !!!!'

Allied nations, such as South Korea, have also reportedly been the subject of spying by the Pentagon, raising questions as to the diplomatic impact the leak could have at a time of deteriorating global ties.