The Pentagon claims that US military personnel have been sent to Ukraine to maintain track of armaments and ammunition delivered at the expense of the American taxpayer.
To allay fears that American military weapons may wind up on the black market, a U.S. “defense attaché” team led by Brig. Gen. Garrick Harmon has been dispatched to undertake arms checks on weaponry delivered to the Ukrainians.
The military operation, which is being carried out in conjunction with the Office of Defense Cooperation based at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, aims to improve Kyiv’s (Kiev’s) capacity to establish border inspections for weapons traffickers, scale up training for Ukrainian guards and inspectors, and provide instruction on how to properly dispose of or destroy munitions and weapons.
A “senior defense official” stated at a no-names Pentagon meeting, the transcript of which has been leaked, “There have been a few of these inspections.”
The unnamed official stated that “ensuring accountability of advanced weapons donations is a main priority” in describing the “proactive steps” that have been taken to keep American arms from falling into the hands of criminals and smugglers in Ukraine, while emphasizing that the Department of Defense had not yet seen any evidence of equipment being “diverted.”
The unidentified official confirmed that US soldiers were formally deployed inside Ukraine, saying, “US personnel have recently begun on-site inspections to assess armament inventories in the nation whenever and wherever the security conditions permit. The defense attaché and officials from the Office of Defense Cooperation returning to the nation has enabled us to resume this vital duty.”
To avoid a potential confrontation between the world’s two greatest nuclear powers, American forces officially departed Ukraine on February 14th, 10 days before Russia’s full-scale invasion of the nation.
While American military forces have not been recognized to have been active in the Ukraine until recently, the New York Times reported in July that CIA operatives had purportedly been on the ground to give training and logistical assistance to Ukrainians. The publication went on to say that there were a “few dozen commandos” from NATO countries such as Canada, France, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom, still operating in the nation.
Pentagon Press Sec. John F. Kirby confirmed in April that the US Armed Forces were currently training Ukrainian soldiers “in Germany as well as other areas in Europe.”
President Joe Biden first stated that American soldiers would not be involved in the conflict in Ukraine, saying in February, “Our forces aren’t and will not be involved in the confrontation with Russia in Ukraine. Our soldiers are not heading to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to protect and reassure our NATO allies in the east.”
However, the 79-year-old Democrat subsequently sparked controversy when he had allegedly misspoke during a speech to soldiers stationed in Rzeszow, Poland. Mr. Biden suggested they travel to Ukraine, saying, “You are going to see ladies, young kids standing in front of a freaking tank when you’re there, and some of you have been there.”
Later, the White House was compelled to retract the comments, stating that the president was referring to soldiers engaging with Ukrainians in Poland.
The claim that American forces are operating in Ukraine comes as the White House is drafting a new $50 billion aid package for Ukraine. Since the beginning of the invasion, the United States has authorized $65 billion in aid to the country.
