Pentagon reveals $10 billion arms ‘hole’ due to Ukraine – media — RT World News
The US Department of Defense has delivered weapons to Kiev with the expectation that it will receive future allocations to cover the costs of replacements, a senior official said
American media, citing senior officials, reported that the Pentagon wants the US Congress to allocate $10 billion to compensate for the weapons delivered to Ukraine and replenish its stocks.
Unless the deficit is covered, the “continuous hole” One source told Politico that this would put pressure on the US military itself. The White House requested more than $60 billion in supplemental aid for Ukraine, but the Republican-controlled House of Representatives blocked repeated calls from US President Joe Biden to release the funds.
The official said “A large piece of financing is awaiting additional financing.” Approval must be obtained to renew the American arsenal. Unlike that “It will depend on our preparedness, and our inventory, to some extent.”
The $10 billion shortfall arose due to differences between the carrying value of weapons taken from stockpiles and the cost of replacing them with new weapons. For example, if old munitions are sent to Ukraine, the Pentagon will replace them with a newer, more expensive version.
Politico was among the first to break the story, saying the statements were made on the condition of anonymity. Voice of America later confirmed the incapacity issue, citing Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and another unnamed military official.
Last June, the Pentagon announced that it was able to deliver additional weapons to Ukraine, after realizing that the cost of the stockpiled weapons was lower than it had thought. It said it was free to provide $6.2 billion in additional aid under its existing mandate thanks to the reassessment.
By the end of last year, the Biden administration had provided more than $75 billion in cash and equipment to the war effort in Ukraine, far exceeding other Western donors. The White House said in mid-January that deliveries were halted after the stockpile of funds approved by Congress dried up.
The Pentagon still had the authority to send $4.4 billion in aid to Ukraine, but so did Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the unnamed source said. “droning” To benefit from this fund, according to Politico.
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