United States: A little more than $1 billion, or about 60 percent, of the $1.69 billion in items that require additional layers of tracking and monitoring due to their sensitive military technology are not fully accounted for, according to the report.
The Defense Department’s inspector general did not disclose whether any of the weapons were abused or diverted after being supplied to Ukraine because “it was beyond the scope of our evaluation to determine whether there has been diversion of such assistance.”
The watchdog released a complete version of the report to Congress on Wednesday and a redacted version to the public the following day.
Debunking the Disinformation
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, later told reporters on Thursday that there is “no credible evidence of illicit diversion of U.S.-provided advanced conventional weapons from Ukraine.”
He also accused Russian disinformation of fueling fears that such untracked weapons will be stolen or transported.
“We observe the Ukrainians employing these capabilities on the battlefield, we’re seeing them use them effectively, for all the obvious reasons, and that Russia continues to present a significant threat to Ukraine’s sovereignty,” Ryder said.
The inspector general’s report and findings will undoubtedly enter the argument in Congress over whether to sanction additional military help for Ukraine, which is reaching the end of its second year of fighting Russia following Moscow’s broad invasion.
Impact on Aid Packages
Lawmakers failed to enact a new Ukraine aid package before the start of the year, indicating a lack of support that threatens to undermine Kyiv’s economy. Officials warn that it might offer Russian soldiers an advantage on the battlefield as Kremlin attacks continue to target cities and energy infrastructure across the country.
An increasing number of senators have opposed approving another round of funding for the country, calling for greater control of military support.
Weapon Tracking Woes
The audit specifically showed that as of early June, around 40,000 weapons had yet to be promptly or properly accounted for by American and European officials.
The weapons, which were required by law to be rigorously monitored, did not have their serial numbers scanned into tracking systems due to a variety of factors, including database update delays and manpower limits.
Handheld Scanners and Logistical Hurdles
While the US military gave Ukrainian defense troops with handheld barcode scanners to conduct weapons inventories, “because of the hostile environment and the resulting logistical and personnel limitations,” the personnel were unable to execute all required inventories, according to the report.
The watchdog report stressed the importance of tracking such devices, stating that failure to maintain comprehensive accountability “may increase the risk of theft or diversion.”
Even obtaining a comprehensive picture of all defense articles in Ukraine “will be difficult as the inventory continues to change, and accuracy and completeness will likely only become more difficult over time,” the document states.
Fraction of a Larger Picture
The nearly 40,000 defense items mentioned in the study are only a fraction of the $50 billion in military equipment that the United States has provided Ukraine since 2014, when Russia initially occupied the Crimea peninsula.
Since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the majority of US-supplied armaments, including tanks, drones, missiles, air-defense systems, and ammunition, have been sent to the Ukrainian military.