Deliveries of ammunition to Ukraine slowed down due to issues with the Deutsche Bahn contract

The Inspector General reported that issues with the German rail contract slowed ammunition deliveries to Ukraine. Delays are attributed to flaws in the transportation agreement between EUCOM and Deutsche Bahn. This was reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply, citing Defense One.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense report, contract issues caused a delay in ammunition deliveries to Ukraine. This disruption led to at least a two-month lag in logistics, negatively impacting the Ukrainian army’s supplies.

Issues with Ammunition Deliveries to Ukraine

Deliveries to Ukraine, the report states, slowed from December 2022 to January 2023. During this time, the Ukrainian army faced an ammunition shortage that was previously filled by U.S. supplies.

Transportation difficulties, according to the inspector, significantly affected the Ukrainian forces’ operational readiness. Delayed deliveries prevented timely replenishment of reserves, which could have impacted the front-line situation.

The report notes that, in one instance, there were insufficient railcars for ammunition transport. To address the problem, the U.S. had to use ships, costing an additional $1.6 million.

Impact of the Deutsche Bahn Contract on Ammunition Deliveries to Ukraine

The contract between U.S. European Command and Deutsche Bahn omitted some critical logistical factors. However, details of these criteria remain classified for the general public, as stated in the report.

The Inspector General emphasized that the contract’s shortcomings proved crucial to maintaining logistical support.

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