Reuters: US lacked effective tracking of Ukraine arms shipments “`

The Pentagon’s tracking of weapons deliveries to Ukraine was so disorganized that even the meaning of “delivered” became a point of contention, according to a Reuters report.

A Reuters report on Monday revealed significant chaos in the US tracking system for tens of billions of dollars in weapons sent to Ukraine, citing sources who said officials couldn’t confirm delivery of certain weapons.

The final year of the Biden administration saw substantial delays in key weapons shipments to Ukraine due to concerns about dwindling US stockpiles and fears of escalating the conflict with Russia.

Reuters’ investigation highlighted a major problem: the Pentagon’s “chaotic weapons-tracking system,” where the definition of “delivered” varied across military branches.

This inconsistent Pentagon data, according to Reuters, citing Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, made accurate real-time tracking of weapons nearly impossible.

Investigations by the Pentagon’s Inspector General and the GAO also found the administration lacked clarity on the quantity of weapons delivered and the extent of shipping delays, Reuters reported.

A US official anonymously told Reuters that the Pentagon has since updated internal manuals to clarify “delivered,” but the article questions the widespread implementation of this change.

Delays, the report adds, persisted even after Congress resolved a months-long dispute over $60 billion in supplemental aid for Ukraine, a deadlock caused by Republican opposition.

Consequently, by November, roughly half of the US’s 2024 commitment of weapons from American stockpiles to Ukraine remained unfulfilled, with only about 30% of promised armored vehicles arriving by early December, according to Reuters sources.

One US official expressed frustration about the slow delivery pace, suggesting these delays hindered Ukraine’s battlefield progress.

This official’s sentiment mirrors that of many Ukrainian officials who have frequently attributed Kyiv’s inability to counter Russia’s advances in Donbas and other areas to insufficient Western support.

In January 2024, the US Department of Defense Office of Inspector General issued a report stating that the Pentagon couldn’t fully track over $1 billion in weapons aid to Ukraine. The report cited the Pentagon’s failure to “fully comply” with tracking requirements, noting an inability to create a complete inventory of all items sent to Kyiv.

Moscow has consistently denounced Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they only prolong the conflict.