Pentagon accounting error provides extra $6.2 billion for Ukraine military aid
HO CHI MINH CITY — The Pentagon said on Tuesday that it had overestimated the value of weapons it had sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years – nearly twice the original estimate – resulting in a surplus. The remainder will be used for future security packages.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than book value of equipment taken from the Pentagon’s inventory. and sent to Ukraine. She said the final calculations showed there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended September 30 of last year.
As a result, the department now has more money in its coffers to use to support Ukraine as it pursues a counter-offensive against Russia. And it comes as the fiscal year draws to a close and congressional funding begins to dry up.
“It will go back to the money we allotted” for future Pentagon stock cuts, Singh said.
The revelation comes as Ukraine conducts the early stages of its counter-offensive, in an attempt to dislodge Kremlin forces from territory it has occupied since its all-out invasion in February 2022. The counter-attack took place on land rich in mines and fortified defenses Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said.
Meanwhile, Russia has bombarded the Kyiv region with dozens of detonable Shahed drones, in an attack that has exposed flaws in the country’s air defenses after nearly 16 months. war. Officials say Ukrainian air defenses shot down 32 of the 35 drones launched by Russia early Tuesday.
The Pentagon has repeatedly used the president’s withdrawal power to pull weapons, ammunition and other equipment from shelves, so that they can reach Ukraine much faster than going through the buying and selling process.
Based on previous estimates published on June 13, the United States has committed more than $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Using the new calculation, the United States has actually provided $34 billion less in aid.
Officials were unable to give an exact figure for the amount remaining for the withdrawal or for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides long-term funding to purchase weapons, including several systems. larger air defense system.
The United States has approved four rounds of aid to Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion, totaling about $113 billion, part of which will be used to replenish U.S. military equipment. Ky has been sent to the front lines. Congress approved the latest round of aid in December, totaling about $45 billion to Ukraine and its NATO allies. While the package is designed to last through the end of the financial year in September, much of it depends on events on the ground, especially as new counterattacks mount.
President Joe Biden and his senior national security leaders have repeatedly stated that the United States will help Ukraine “as long as it is enough” to repel Russian forces. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there are limits to the patience of a deeply divided Congress – and the American public – over the cost of an unpopular war. have a clear conclusion.
Members of Congress have repeatedly urged Defense Department leaders about how closely the United States is monitoring its aid to Ukraine to make sure it doesn’t get rigged or fall into the wrong hands. . The Pentagon says it has a “robust program” to track aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and track it while it’s there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapon system.
Singh said the accounting error would not affect the ongoing aid delivery to Ukraine.
