U.S. Senators Demand Investigation Into Reported Starlink Disruptions in Ukraine

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is calling for an urgent investigation into reported disruptions to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine.

Starlink is a critical communications tool for Ukraine, helping its forces guide drones toward Russian targets and protect the country from aerial threats. However, Ukraine said Tuesday night that it had unexpectedly restricted the speed at which drones could travel while maintaining a Starlink connection.

Senators Raise Concerns About Starlink Speed Restrictions

In a letter sent Thursday to the U.S. Department of Defense inspector general, the senators said they had “grave concerns” about reports of Starlink speed restrictions between October 12 and 14.

The letter, led by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asks the inspector general to determine whether the restrictions were imposed by the Pentagon or its contractors.

The White House and the Pentagon have not responded to suggestions that the United States may have been involved in the alleged slowdown.

According to the newspaper, the reported restrictions reduced Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks targeting civilian infrastructure.

Reported Disruptions Affected Military Communications

Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, reportedly capped the speed limit at 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour) on Tuesday night. As a result, weapons traveling faster than that could lose their connection to the network.

The senators also said they were “deeply concerned” about reported disruptions and “glitches” affecting intelligence sharing and threat-warning systems used by personnel operating in Ukraine.

“We are particularly alarmed by the incident in which U.S. diplomatic, military, and security personnel were unable to reach a designated bunker during a Russian air attack,” the statement said.

“Given the potentially deadly consequences, these incidents must be investigated immediately,” the senators added.

Senators Seeking Answers From the Defense Department

The letter’s signatories include Republican Senators Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and John Cornyn, along with Democratic Senators Richard Durbin, Jack Reed, Richard Blumenthal, and Christopher Coons.