Pentagon: Ukraine is top US priority

Ukraine remains the number one task for the United States of America. This was said on Tuesday, September 17, by the head of the surveillance agency of the US Department of Defense, Robert Storch, in an interview with the Voice of America.

“There’s a lot going on in the world that requires a reaction from the Pentagon. But Ukraine is definitely the number one thing that I’ve always said is the biggest priority of my service and my colleagues,” Storch said.

He said that more than 200 people deal directly with Ukrainian issues in his department. Some of them are located in Germany, Poland, there are investigators and observers of the program in the embassy in Kyiv.

“If we add our partners from the State Department and USAID inspections, there will be 300-400 people from the US government,” he said.

He noted that his service is evaluating the readiness of military equipment for shipment to Ukraine. Next it tracks the transportation process, then the final use. Control is also being exercised over the replenishment of American defense supplies and the training of Ukrainian soldiers.

Storch emphasized that the department carefully monitors the process of transfer and use of American weapons. If necessary, an investigation is conducted.

“Of the 57 investigations into possible procurement violations, corruption, weapons falling into the wrong hands, theft, etc., as of September 2024, not a single case has been confirmed by the department, but investigative actions are ongoing,” said by Storch.

The Pentagon’s Office of the Inspector General has launched a website where Americans can learn how Ukraine controls weapons and equipment supplied to the United States.