CSB News USA

CSB News USA · 10:34 AM

Secret Ukrainian military audits reviewed by The New York Times have revealed repeated overpayments, failed deliveries and questionable contracting practices in the country’s wartime weapons procurement system

Secret Ukrainian military audits reviewed by The New York Times have revealed repeated overpayments, failed deliveries and questionable contracting practices in the country’s wartime weapons procurement system. According to the audits, which were conducted by Ukraine’s State Audit Service and an internal auditing department of the Ministry of Defense, Ukraine lost approximately $1.2 billion in 2024 because of fraud, waste and mismanagement. The findings are detailed in more than 700 pages of financial tables and internal reviews covering 2024 and 2025. The New York Times reported on the documents in a Sept. 6, 2026 article by Andrew E. Kramer, Bianca Pallaro and Evelina Riabenko. Repeated overpayments The audits found multiple instances in which Ukrainian military procurement officials paid more than necessary for weapons and ammunition. A 2024 State Audit Service report, cited by The New York Times, criticized the widespread use of arms traders as intermediaries. According to the audit, these intermediaries typically charged markups of at least 3 percent, increasing procurement costs and generating tens of millions of dollars…

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