A new Pentagon report has found that over $1 billion worth of shoulder-fired missiles, kamikaze drones, and night-vision devices sent by the United States to Ukraine have not been properly tracked. This raises concerns that these weapons could be stolen or smuggled while Congress is debating whether to send more military aid to Kyiv.
The report, released by the Defense Department’s inspector general, does not provide evidence of misuse of the weapons after being shipped to a U.S. military logistics hub in Poland or sent to Ukraine’s battlefields.
However, it highlights that American defense officials and diplomats have failed to account for nearly 40,000 weapons that should have been closely monitored due to their sensitive technology and small size, which makes them attractive to arms smugglers.
The report, which was sent to Congress on Wednesday, states that the high number of missing weapons in government databases “may increase the risk of theft or diversion.”
It also concludes that tracking additional materiel sent to Ukraine will become increasingly difficult as the inventory continues to change over time.
The weapons reviewed in the report represent only a small fraction of the $50 billion in military equipment sent to Ukraine since 2014. Most of the weapons, including tanks, air-defense systems, and artillery launchers, were pledged after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The Pentagon investigation provides the first glimpse into efforts to account for high-risk military tools rushed to Ukraine in recent years. Some lawmakers, skeptical of the costs of supporting Ukraine, are resisting sending more aid and demanding better oversight.
The report does not specify the exact number of missing high-risk weapons among the 39,139 pieces of materiel given to Ukraine. However, it estimates that the potential loss is around $1 billion of the total $1.69 billion worth of weapons sent.
As of last June, the United States had provided Ukraine with more than 10,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles, 2,500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles, 750 Kamikaze Switchblade drones, 430 medium-range air-to-air missiles, and 23,000 night vision devices.
Due to dangerous combat conditions, Defense Department officials have had difficulty traveling to the front lines to ensure the weapons are being used properly.
Alexandra N. Baker, the acting undersecretary of defense for policy, stated that there are not enough Defense Department employees in Kyiv to easily track all the sensitive weapons and equipment, which currently amount to more than 50,000 items in Ukraine.