US Has 64 Ongoing, Planned Ukraine Aid Oversight Projects For 2023 - Inspectors General

The Offices of Inspectors General (OIG) for the Defense Department, State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) released a joint report on Wednesday outlining the United States' 64 ongoing or planned Ukraine aid oversight efforts in 2023

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2023) The Offices of Inspectors General (OIG) for the Defense Department, State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) released a joint report on Wednesday outlining the United States' 64 ongoing or planned Ukraine aid oversight efforts in 2023.

"The first annual joint strategic oversight plan is a whole-of-government effort to provide oversight of the US government's extensive and multifaceted response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine," an overview of the report said. "This joint strategic oversight plan contains 64 ongoing and planned oversight projects and 14 completed projects related to oversight of the Ukraine response."

Congress has appropriated more than $113 billion in assistance for the US government's Ukraine response efforts, the report said. Oversight of the aid is critical to ensure proper use of funds and deter fraud, waste and abuse, the report said.

The three OIG have led oversight of governmental response efforts and formed a working group with a total of 17 agencies, including OIGs from the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security and Justice, the report said.

Ongoing and planned oversight projects include a Defense Department OIG audit of their training of Ukrainian forces, evaluation of intelligence sharing with Ukraine and review of weapons stockpile replenishment, the report said.

The State Department OIG is leading an audit of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as well as an audit of the evacuation of the US Embassy in Kiev, the report said.

Completed oversight projects include a Defense Department OIG evaluation of the accountability of equipment provided to Ukraine, a Homeland Security OIG audit of cyberattack threats and a USAID OIG brief on direct budgetary support to Ukraine, the report said.

Moreover, the OIGs maintain criminal investigation units in the US and Germany focused on the Ukraine response, the report said. The investigators identify and deconflict fraud and corruption probes, share best practices and coordinate measures to detect exploitation of US assistance to Ukraine, the report said.

The OIGs also operate separate hotlines to enable confidential reporting of fraud, trafficking, sexual exploitation, security incidents and other misconduct, the report said. The OIGs are developing joint hotline materials to publicize their oversight of aid to Ukraine, which will be translated into Ukrainian, Polish and Russian, the report added.

The billions in US assistance to Ukraine includes thousands of anti-armor weapons, tens of thousands of rounds of artillery, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and a Patriot surface-to-air missile system, among other military equipment.

Additionally, the aid includes billions in direct economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

Approximately $62.3 billion of the $113.4 billion appropriated for Ukraine falls under the Defense Department's authority. Another $46.1 billion falls under the State Department and USAID, while another $5 billion is spread across other government agencies, according to the report.