Since the start of the war in Ukraine, U.S. officials have watched with some anxiety as billions of American dollars flowed into the country, well aware of Kyiv’s history of political corruption and fearing that aid might be siphoned off for personal gain.
Ukraine Corruption Scandal Stokes Longstanding Aid Concerns in U.S.
Nuland: US auditors arrive in Ukraine to ensure ‘no aid or weapons are diverted.’
This week, the U.S. has its auditors working in Ukraine alongside the World Bank and Deloitte consultants to make sure that “no aid or weapons are diverted,” U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said on Jan. 26.
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On Jan. 23, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU)* said that it had begun investigating possible corruption in the Defense Ministry’s food procurement.
The statement followed an investigation by Ukrainian news outlet ZN.UA**, which alleged that the Defense Ministry was buying food for soldiers at inflated prices, indicating a possible corruption scheme.
Related:
The Kiev Purge: Turmoil in the Capital
The anti-graft stories are being driven by media outlets connected with Ukraine’s Western partners and Poroshenko, who has become Zelensky’s main competitor, since the latter had opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk jailed. For example, on January 23, a number of pro-Western journalists launched a direct attack on Andrey Yermak – the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and a key player in the system.
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The combat operations in Ukraine merely accelerated these processes. In fact, only three powers can now speak out against the Zelensky-Yermak team— Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko and his cabinet, the army led by Valery Zaluzhny, and US-controlled structures such as NABU and media affiliated with them. At the same time, decisions regarding resignations are made exclusively by Zelensky and Yermak, who by all means wish to hush up the scandals.
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Notes:
Read More »Several senior Ukrainian officials have resigned amid a shake-up of personnel across President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government.
Top Ukrainian officials quit in anti-corruption drive
According to the Treasury Department, the new package brings total US budgetary aid for Ukraine to $13 billion
US Announces $4.5 Billion in Direct Budgetary Aid for Ukraine
Pakistan says evidence suggests the shooting of a prominent Pakistani journalist who was living in Kenya may have been an assassination as media watchdog Reporters Without Borders called for an independent United Nations probe into the incident.
Pakistan Suggests Killing Of Journalist In Kenya Was Targeted
H/T: Imran Khan
Related:
This famous journalist’s suspicious death in Kenya by a sniper shot to the head, which came shortly after he announced the upcoming release of an anti-corruption documentary exposing his country’s US-backed post-modern coup regime, might prove to be a tipping point in Pakistan’s political crisis.
Was Arshad Sharif Assassinated By Pakistan’s US-Backed Post-Modern Coup Regime?
For several days the threat of the use of a dirty bomb or the destruction of the Kakhovka dam by Ukraine has caused an extremely dangerous rise in tension. By dint of letting Kyiv do whatever it wants, even the worst war crimes and terrorist acts, the West encourages Ukraine to continue playing with fire, at the risk of causing a disaster that would go beyond the country’s borders.
DIRTY BOMB, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DAM OF THE KAKHOVKA – THE DANGEROUS GAMES OF THE UKRAINE (Original in French)
Ukraine Passes 2023 Budget in Secret, Expects US To Cover Deficit
Last month, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal noted the government expected a $38 billion deficit. He said the US would provide $18 billion and the European Union and International Monetary Fund would combine to give $12 billion.
Over the past seven months, the White House has spent nearly $70 billion on the war in Ukraine. The US spending on the war includes direct assistance to fund the government in Kiev and weapons transfers.
Western aid to Ukraine is announced almost daily. On Thursday, USAID announced $55 million in assistance for Kiev. On Friday, The IMF approved $1.3 billion in additional emergency funding for Ukraine.
For Democrats in the United States and the political “centrists” in Israel—represented by Joe Biden and Yair Lapid, respectively—the loss of credibility for the two-state solution has meant losing more and more support for Israeli policies. As the respected polling site 538.com noted recently, among many other sources, younger Democrats are increasingly supportive of Palestinians and less so of Israeli policies.
The return of the two-state solution illusion
New $1.1 Billion Arms Package for Ukraine Includes 18 HIMARS Launchers
The HIMARS that the US has been sending to Ukraine are equipped with missiles that have a range of about 50 miles. But that can change, and Kyiv is requesting Army Tactical Missile Systems, which have a range of 190 miles, but Washington has been hesitant to send the longer-range missiles. Russia has warned that providing such arms would cross a “red line.”
Related:
The U.S. and Europe are running out of weapons to send to Ukraine
In the U.S. weapons industry, the normal production level for artillery rounds for the 155 millimeter howitzer — a long-range heavy artillery weapon currently used on the battlefields of Ukraine — is about 30,000 rounds per year in peacetime.
The Ukrainian soldiers fighting invading Russian forces go through that amount in roughly two weeks.
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Is the U.S. ability to defend itself at risk?
The short answer: no.
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The U.S. has essentially run out of the 155 mm howitzers [M777?] to give to Ukraine; to send any more, it would have to dip into its own stocks reserved for U.S. military units that use them for training and readiness. But that’s a no-go for the Pentagon, military analysts say, meaning the supplies reserved for U.S. operations are highly unlikely to be affected.
U.S. has now allocated over $80 billion to Kiev.
Sure, financial markets and national currencies are imploding worldwide, but the military industrial regime needs to keep churning, and that means pumping more money into the Slava Slush Fund.
Slava Slush Fund: despite economic crisis, Congress readies $12 billion more for Ukraine
Related:
There’s no debating it: Biden will get billions in new Ukraine aid
“Oversight of Ukraine aid is sorely needed,” Julia Gledhill, a defense analyst for the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), tells Responsible Statecraft. “The State and Defense departments are handling billions of dollars in Ukraine funding, but neither have permanent inspectors general in place to investigate and prevent abuse of funds.”
Senate advances spending bill for Ukraine with $12 Billion
After the Senate invoked cloture for the legislative vehicle to carry out the CR, it will now be up for a full vote by the Senate. The House will next vote on it, likely on Friday.
Report: US Preparing $1.1 Billion Arms Package for Ukraine
The weapons package will likely include HIMARS rocket systems, HIMARS ammunition, counter-drone systems, radar systems, training, and technical support.
The arms package is expected to be provided to Kyiv using the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) as opposed to sending the arms directly from US military stockpiles. The USAI allows the Biden administration to purchase military equipment for Ukraine from the US arms industry.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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