2024-01-12 10:08:28
Pentagon recognizes high level of ‘failures’ in monitoring military aid to Ukraine
This is disorganized at a time when Republican opponents of President Joe Biden are still refusing additional aid from Washington to Kiev: according to an independent body within the Pentagon, the American Department of Defense has not fully complied with the requirements in this area. of control for approximately one billion dollars (approximately 910 million euros) in military aid provided to Ukraine, the Pentagon’s office of inspector general announced Thursday.
“As of June 2, 2023, serial number inventories for more than $1.005 billion (59%) of the total $1.699 billion in defense materiel covered by the EEUM were deficient”, the office said in a statement. The EEUM designation refers to material which, due to its sensitive nature, is subject to increased surveillance regarding its use.
During a serial number inventory, inspectors write down or scan the equipment’s barcode, then update the information in a database, the inspector general’s office explained. These failures can be explained by factors, such as “limited number of American personnel in logistics centers in partner countries and in Ukraine” and the restrictions imposed on the movements of surveillance personnel, specifies the text, which recalls that these shortcomings can “increase the risk of theft or misappropriation”.
“There is no credible evidence of illicit diversion of advanced conventional weapons supplied by the United States to Ukraine”, for his part, assured Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder. The equipment affected includes Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and Switchblade combat drones.
Spearheading support for kyiv after the Russian invasion of February 2022, with tens of billions of dollars in aid, Washington has largely contributed to the resistance of Ukrainian forces. But the United States does not have “no funds needed to replenish these stocks”warned Pat Ryder.
Republicans have refused new budget spending for Ukraine requested by Joe Biden’s administration, demanding in exchange tougher measures on immigration.
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