Ukraine has the opportunity to purchase weapons from international partners, but this does not mean that the funds are transferred directly to Kyiv. Roman Kostenko, a national deputy and secretary of the defense committee of the Verkhovna Rada, noted that sometimes there are false claims that the money allocated to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons is stolen. However, this is not true, since Ukraine does not have direct access to these funds, and the process of conducting operations takes place in a different way.
For example, when the American side allocates billions to Ukraine, these funds do not go directly to Ukrainian accounts, but remain in the United States. Ukraine submits lists of needs, such as HIMARS multiple-launch systems or F-16 fighter jets, and then US banks pay for those purchases either directly to the manufacturers or to the US Department of Defense if it is done from warehouses. After that, Ukraine receives the ordered products.
In addition, Ukraine also has its own funds collected from taxes, which are used for the maintenance of the army, payments to military personnel and social needs. Part of these funds is also allocated for the purchase of weapons.
Kostenko noted that Ukraine can purchase weapons through the Ministry of Defense within its own defense-industrial complex or through export companies. This allows the country to find the right weapons that are necessary to ensure national security.
