Pentagon Says Accounting Error Frees Up Another $3B for Ukraine

On Thursday, the Pentagon said an accounting error freed up another $3 billion for Ukraine, and that the Defense Department had overestimated the value of the missiles, ammunition, and other equipment it sent to Ukraine.

Key Details: The Department is still trying to determine the amount of the overvaluation, and it's unclear which weapons were overestimated. Whatever the amount, the error could be a boon for the Ukrainian war effort, because it allows the Pentagon to send more weapons to Ukraine without asking Congress for more funds.

Key Quote: "During our regular oversight process of presidential drawdown packages, the Department discovered inconsistencies in equipment valuation for Ukraine," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said in a statement, according to the outlet. "In some cases, 'replacement cost' rather than 'net book value' was used, therefore overestimating the value of the equipment drawn down from U.S. stocks."

For Context: The news comes as Ukrainian troops mount a counteroffensive in the east. Since the beginning of the Biden Administration, the U.S. has committed more than $30.4 billion in aid to Ukraine, and the Defense Department is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the money it has sent.

How the Media Covered it: Sources across the political spectrum covered the error, with sources on the right noting that the mistake was only recently reported to Congress despite being discovered in March.