Think for one second, let’s say the 155mm shells cost $1000 per shell, Ukraine pays a company $2000 per shell, $1000 goes the manufacturer, $1000 goes into the pocket of someone and when you have no inspector general or anyone else auditing the situation, cheating is easy.
Same goes for any other weapons system, why do you think the powers in Washington steadfastly refuse to audit the over 100 million that has gone to Ukraine.
We left billions in Afghanistan, you think the MIC would have any problem stealing 40-50 billion from Ukraine or Ukraine steals it and funnels it back to pay off politicians in Washington.
The US is granting shells to Ukraine from DOD stocks. This is a drawdown on inventory. That’s what’s on the documents they release every time. The cost of this on the expenditure reports is the US inventory book value.
For this stuff also the US is the sole buyer, if they actually order something and not just pull it from stock. The DOD issues orders to top up inventory or purchase something from a foreign source. Ukraine doesn’t buy direct for this material, from the US anyway. That’s how the US rolls.
For US material aid in weapons that’s how its been going.
Now, if Ukraine were buying direct from, say, the Turks or Czechs or Bulgarians, which they are, using cash they’ve been given by the EU or US, yeah, they get to be corrupt if they feel like it.
That is @60 billion or so spent (or charged vs inventory) so far from the $100 billion authorised. Most of that (from the US so far) so far is these inventory transfers. The EU/Euro countries have given Ukraine way more cash aid than the US BTW.
The DOD overspends on everything, as does the entire Federal Government, but that is domestic corruption. Which is at least 100x whatever is at risk in re aid to Ukraine. The whole US system is vastly corrupt, but that was so before Ukraine and will continue after it.