The Pentagon announced on Thursday an overestimation of approximately $3 billion in the value of weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine.
An error has been identified that will result in a larger allocation of U.S. defense funds being made available to support Ukraine’s efforts in repelling the Russian invasion.
Pentagon Uncovers Equipment Value Inaccuracies in Ukraine Audit
This mistake was uncovered by the Defense Department during an internal audit conducted in March. It occurred because the military services were using cost estimates based on new hardware, rather than considering the devalued older equipment that had been taken from U.S. stockpiles.
According to Pentagon Spokeswoman Sabrina Singh, “inconsistencies in equipment value for Ukraine” were discovered, with some cases using “replacement cost” instead of “net book value,” leading to an overestimation of the equipment’s value that was drawn down from U.S. stocks.
Under the authority of a presidential drawdown (PDA), President Joe Biden has transferred weapons and equipment worth approximately $21.1 billion from U.S. stockpiles since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
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Republican Criticism Over Accounting Error
However, the actual cost is now estimated to be around $18 billion, resulting in the Administration having roughly twice the remaining Congressionally authorized funds of $2.7 billion to support Ukraine.
Singh emphasized that this error did not affect the delivery of support to Ukraine or impede the ability to provide capabilities to the battlefield.
Given the impending counteroffensive against Russian forces in the eastern and southern regions, the race to supply Ukraine with the necessary weapons to succeed in the war has gained increased urgency. The Administration views the upcoming months as crucial in determining the outcome of the conflict.
The revelation of a $3 billion accounting error, discovered two months ago but only shared with Congress today, has drawn criticism from Republicans. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers of Alabama and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul of Texas issued a joint statement expressing their concerns.
They noted that these funds could have been utilized for additional supplies and weapons for the impending counteroffensive, rather than being rationed for the remaining fiscal year.
The Republicans urged the Administration to compensate for this significant delay by using the funds to provide Ukraine with more advanced weapons and systems that could shift the conditions on the battlefield in their favor.
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