A group of 'high-risk weapons' has disappeared from the United States' radar after being sent to Ukraine.
Weapons valued at over one billion dollars have not been accurately tracked and are therefore considered to be in violation of the law.
This is the conclusion of a new report from the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense.
Investigators in the Defense Department have examined 39,139 weapons that the USA has sent to the front in Ukraine since the invasion, valued at about $1 billion.
The weapons are all 'high-risk weapons' such as anti-tank rockets, night vision devices, and Stinger missiles.
The report does not specify how many of the weapons are considered to be in violation of the law due to poor tracking - it merely assesses the total value of the weapons.
Not Necessarily Misused
It is also mentioned that it can be difficult to get a full picture of the total number of delivered weapons, as 'the inventory is constantly changing, and accuracy and completeness will likely only become more difficult over time.'
Although it is not concluded whether some of the weapons have been erroneously redirected or misused, the Inspector General writes that it is beyond the scope of the investigation to assess.
However, it is emphasized that a high rate of weapon deliveries in violation of the law, which have disappeared from the radar, increases the risk of theft or redirections.
Furthermore, the investigation has found out that unlawful weapon deliveries have decreased by 27 percent between February and June 2023.
Bad Timing
The report from the Inspector General of the Department of Defense comes in the wake of major discussions about the USA's support for Ukraine.
Several Republicans in the House of Representatives, in particular, have advocated for stopping sending weapons to Ukraine in order to secure the USA's own borders - while Ukraine is asking for more help.
Joe Biden's administration in the USA has so far contributed with more than 75 billion dollars to Ukraine since Russia's invasion.
Additionally, the EU has contributed with a roughly equivalent amount since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
