The person declined to identify where the inspections are taking place or how near the front lines the American forces are getting in order to deliver a military report. The official stated that American officials cannot conduct inspections “near the front lines,” but added that they are going where the security situation permits.
Several inspections, according to the official, have been conducted by the American Office of Defense Cooperation team in Kyiv and the American Defense Attaché. The person stated that up until this point, Ukrainian officials have been open about the distribution of the weapons and have supported the inspections.
The initiative is a part of a larger American campaign, unveiled last week by the State Department, to prevent Russian forces, their proxies, or other extremist groups from obtaining weaponry delivered to Ukraine.
The U.S. announced earlier this year that a small contingent of military personnel had returned to the embassy in Kyiv to perform security and other duties. President of the United States Joe Biden has ruled out any combat role for the American military in Ukraine.
Some members of Congress have repeatedly questioned U.S. officials about how the administration is tracking the billions of dollars in armaments that have been supplied to Ukraine over the past year. But because of worries about the status of the conflict and apprehensions that it may reveal potential evasion strategies to would-be smugglers, the administration has refrained from disclosing its efforts on that front.
The State Department’s plan consists of short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives to strengthen U.S. and Ukrainian oversight of transferred weapons, particularly more sophisticated missile systems, and anti-aircraft weapons, as well as to strengthen border and aviation security in Ukraine to fight against the misuse of weapons and avert potential arms trafficking.
According to the State Department, the rapid growth of small arms, transportable air defense systems, and anti-tank weaponry like Javelins on the black market appears to be being slowed down so far by Ukraine’s fierce desire for weapons on the battlefield. It claimed that the biggest issue was Russian forces’ seizing weaponry as they advanced, and it issued a warning that Moscow may use the weapons to create countermeasures or launch false-flag operations.
