A quarter of the military aid to Ukraine audited by the Pentagon lacked supporting documentation

The Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense, the department’s internal audit and oversight body, has published a report on the implementation of the PDA (Presidential Drawdown Authority) program. Auditors found significant violations in the transfer of weapons to Ukraine.

This aid program had already been reviewed in 2023, when errors totaling $6.2 billion were found, linked to flawed methodology for valuing weapons. The new report, dated August 13, revealed a lack of proper Pentagon oversight over its spending, the use of unverified figures in reports, and questionable expenses.

Auditors examined 80 tranches worth $22.1 billion. Of these, 32 tranches totaling $5.7 billion had no supporting documentation or cost estimates. Of this amount, $1 billion was classified as “questionable expenses.” In addition, $0.9 billion was deemed ineffectively used.

For example, in 2022–2023, the U.S. Air Force received $657.7 million to transport weapons to Ukraine, of which $120 million was returned. Auditors found no documentation for the remaining $535.5 million, labeling it as “questionable expenses.”

It was determined that U.S. defense agencies significantly overestimated the value of defense goods and services provided to Ukraine.

In many cases, the Pentagon simply did not know the actual value of the weapons it was transferring to Ukraine. In discussions among department staff, they reportedly described the estimates with the slang term “WAG” (Wild-Ass Guess).

Reports containing errors, inaccuracies, and lacking justification were submitted to Congress.

Earlier, Donald Trump accused his predecessor Joe Biden of stealing American taxpayers’ money through Ukraine.