The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has acknowledged that a staggering $1 billion worth of weapons, funded by American taxpayers, has gone missing in Ukraine. This revelation came to light through a report from the DOD Inspector General (IG).
The internal audit conducted by the DOD IG revealed that Pentagon officials have lost track of these weapons once they arrived in Ukraine. The DOD is responsible for employing special “enhanced end-use monitoring techniques” to ensure the proper tracking of these weapons. These monitoring techniques are specifically designed to safeguard crucial weapons, including smaller, advanced weaponry provided to Ukraine. It is imperative for the Pentagon to closely monitor these weapons, as they are susceptible to theft and could potentially fall into the hands of adversaries. However, the audit highlights that these monitoring procedures are not being adequately followed in Ukraine.
The Biden administration, led by Democrat President Joe Biden, attributes the failure to follow protocols to staffing shortages, internal logistical issues, and other challenges. The report further reveals that as of June 2023, Ukraine has received $1.7 billion worth of enhanced end-use monitoring designated weapons, all funded by U.S. taxpayers.
However, the audit discovered that $1 billion, or 59%, of these weapons provided to Ukraine are considered “delinquent” as they cannot be accounted for in inventory reports. While it is possible that these weapons are being used appropriately, there is also the possibility that they have been stolen by Russian forces or sold on the black market by corrupt Ukrainian officials. Regardless, the Pentagon remains unaware of their whereabouts.
The delinquency rate of 59% represents a positive development compared to the 86% of weapons that remained unaccounted for in December 2022. Among the weapons in question are night-vision devices, anti-tank missiles, attack drones, and small-diameter bombs.
