The National Nuclear Security Administration allocated $161.3 million to support nuclear and radiological security efforts in Ukraine, according to a Government Accountability Office report on supplemental U.S. funding for the battle-torn country.
Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Congress has appropriated upwards of $174 billion under five Ukraine supplemental appropriations acts. The just-released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reviews how the U.S. dollars are being spent there as of the first quarter 2024. This includes billions in Department of Defense funds for missiles, ammunition and combat vehicles.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) allocated $110.3 million of its $161.3 million to monitor Ukrainian nuclear facilities and support radiation detection, $49 million to enhance physical protection and prevent insider threats at Ukrainian nuclear facilities, and $2 million to support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguard activities in Ukraine.
According to the GAO report, Congress provided $113 billion in funding for Ukraine by appropriating the funding to 12 different U.S. agencies as of December 31, 2023. The funding aims to provide arms and aid to civilians affected by Russia’s invasion, as well as secure Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. In April 2024, Congress appropriated an additional $60.8 billion in the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024
The GAO report also details $491 million appropriated to the Department of Energy, which the agency will put toward nuclear reactors with aims to avoid reliance on Russian uranium come President Joe Biden’s (D) signed uranium ban beginning in 2028. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was allocated $2 million to similarly research a replacement for Russia’s nuclear fuel supply.
