The Pentagon has admitted to a $6.2 billion overestimation of the value of military aid sent to Ukraine over the last two years, due to an accounting error. This surplus will be available for future aid packages.
Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokesperson, explained to the press, “the multi-billion dollar error was the result of military services using replacement costs as opposed to the book value of the equipment.”
This miscalculation inflated the cost of each aid package since new weaponry costs more than older equipment, leading to an overestimation of the funds spent. Consequently, an additional $6.2 billion is now available for military aid to Ukraine in the next fiscal year.
The Pentagon commonly uses what is known as presidential drawdown authority to expedite weapon delivery to Ukraine, bypassing usual bureaucratic procedures. This allows the Department of Defense (DoD) to directly pull supplies from the stockpile and send them to Ukraine.
The Pentagon manages the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is designed to offer long-term funding for purchases such as air defense systems. The Associated Press reports that the US has committed over $40 billion in security assistance funds to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. However, with the Pentagon’s recent admission of the accounting error, this figure has been adjusted to approximately $34 billion.
Officials have sanctioned close to $113 billion in funding to Ukraine, distributed over four rounds. A portion of this funding is allocated to replenish equipment used on the front lines.
Members of Congress have asked the DoD to ensure better tracking of the aid sent to Ukraine to prevent misuse of US taxpayer dollars. In response, the Pentagon assured Congress of a “robust program” in place to monitor all aid entering Ukraine.
