In brief
US senators, led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, wrote to the Department of Defense Inspector General demanding an inquiry into sudden speed restrictions on SpaceX’s Starlink service in Ukraine between 12-14 October. The limits capped drone speeds at 100 mph, reportedly causing loss of connectivity and weakening Ukraine’s defensive operations. Senators question whether the U.S. defense department or contractors imposed these limits and call for immediate investigation. Elon Musk has suggested the U.S. military controls the Starlink system via Starshield, while Kyiv disputes that interference has affected its war effort.
US senators, spanning both parties, have written a letter to the Department of Defense Inspector General calling for an urgent investigation into restrictions imposed on the Starlink satellite internet service used by Ukraine during recent drone operations.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, is a critical tool that enables Kyiv to guide drones to Russian targets and maintain situational awareness in a conflict zone. Between 12 and 14 October, Ukraine reported that the service unexpectedly limited how fast drones could travel while keeping an internet connection, setting a speed cut‑off of 100 mph (160 km/h). Anything surpassing that threshold reportedly lost connectivity, potentially degrading Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.
The bipartisan group, with Senator Jeanne Shaheen leading from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expresses “grave concern” over these restrictions and demands that the inspector general determine whether the limits were imposed by the U.S. defense department or its contractors.
Elon Musk has hinted that the U.S. military may control Starlink via its Starshield program, suggesting that such limits are a deliberate decision by U.S. authorities. Ukrainian officials, however, argue that the restrictions have impeded their intelligence‑sharing and threat‑warning systems.
The letter points out that the speed restrictions “degraded Ukraine’s ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure” and cites incidents where U.S. personnel failed to reach designated bunkers during air raids. The senators urge swift action, noting that failures to maintain connectivity could have lethal consequences.
Among the signatories are Republican Senators Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and John Cornyn, and Democrats Richard Durbin, Jack Reed, Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Coons. This coalition highlights deep cross‑party concern over the potential manipulation of vital communication tools during an ongoing war.
