The inspector general for the Pentagon is probing the Ukrainian government for corruption related to massive amounts of aid the country has received since it was invaded by Russia last year.
Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch has over 20 audits planned and “close to 100 people engaged in oversight right now related to Ukraine” with partnerships with the State Department and USAID, he said, according to Defense One. “We’re really covering the waterfront…in terms of security assistance,” Storch said.
Ukraine has a history of serious corruption issues, and those issues could pose an existential threat to the country if they undermine the trust of foreign governments that are supplying its military with advanced weapons and supplies.
Republicans are growing increasingly critical of the Biden administration’s aid to Ukraine. The U.S. is the top backer of Ukraine in its war against Moscow. Since January 2022, the U.S. has committed over $78 billion to Ukraine in military, humanitarian, and economic aid, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has called the aid packages a “blank check” that lacks stringent oversight standards.
The Ukrainian government is working on rooting out corruption, but spending resources on oversight and investigations takes resources away from the war against Russia, a senior official in Storch’s office told Defense One.
“They acknowledge that they are fighting a two-front battle,” the source said. “They are fighting the Russians and they were fighting internal corruption. … Many of the people that, you know, would normally have helped fight the corruption battle on the frontlines are fighting the Russians.”
The Defense Department recognizes Ukraine’s history of corruption and considers the possibility of aid being deflected before it reaches its intended target a “high risk,” the official said.
Another official said that the Pentagon is also concerned about the theft of weapons systems and other goods being shipped to Ukraine. “DOD procures the most advanced systems in the world, there are many entities, to include foreign nations as well as criminal groups, that want to get their hands on weapons technology, etc.,” the official said, according to Defense One.
While the Biden administration has continued to echo its commitment to supporting Ukraine, reportedly leaked classified documents from the Pentagon suggest that the administration is pessimistic Ukraine can beat Russia. The documents highlight weaknesses in Ukraine’s military, such as its weaponry and air defenses, and predict the two sides will be in a stalemate for some time.