No evidence of fraud in weapons to Ukraine, watchdog says

As reported WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon’s inspector general said Tuesday his office has found no evidence that any of the billions of dollars in weapons and aid to Ukraine has been lost to corruption or diverted into the wrong hands.

Keeping military aid to Ukraine protected from waste or fraud has become a critical part of keeping support for Ukraine intact in Congress, where some lawmakers have already begun to question why the U.S. is spending so much to help Kyiv.

Robert P. Storch was pressed by House members several times about any fraud findings. He said a number of tips and allegations have come in to a new hotline, but there have been “limited findings” to date, with many reports pending.

Storch, who was testifying with other Pentagon leaders before the House Armed Services Committee, repeatedly said he did not want to talk about investigations that have not yet been completed.

Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, the Republican committee chairman, said Congress has appropriated more than $100 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies. Of that, the U.S. has doled out more than $75 billion so far, and that includes nearly $32 billion in Pentagon weapons and training to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion a year ago.