'Going back into the pot': The Pentagon admits to a stunning $6.2 billion accounting error — which means it can now provide even more aid to Ukraine. Here's exactly what happened

This new (and apparently final) estimate means the U.S. can provide more arms to Ukraine as it mounts its counteroffensive against Russia.

Here’s what happened

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh explained in a news briefing that a detailed review of the accounting error found the military services used replacement costs instead of the book value of equipment that was drawn from U.S. stocks and provided to Ukraine.

This miscalculation inflated the cost of each new aid package, resulting in an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30.

Singh said the error in no way “impacted the provision of support to Ukraine.”

But when the Pentagon publicly disclosed the initial $3 billion accounting error in May, some Republican lawmakers believed the mistake may have reduced the amount of support for Ukraine leading up to the counteroffensive.

“The revelation of a three-billion-dollar accounting error discovered two months ago and only today shared with Congress is extremely problematic, to say the least,” wrote House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul and House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers in a joint statement.

“These funds could have been used for extra supplies and weapons for the upcoming counter-offensive, instead of rationing funds to last for the remainder of the fiscal year.”