Bipartisan US senators seek urgent inquiry into Starlink limits in Ukraine

A bipartisan group of US senators has called for an urgent investigation into reported disruptions to SpaceX's Starlink internet network in Ukraine, including speed limits that the lawmakers say may have hindered Kyiv's defences. The letter, sent on Thursday to the US Department of Defense inspector general, was led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Starlink is important for Ukraine because it helps Kyiv guide drones toward Russian targets and protect its airspace. Ukraine said on Tuesday night that restrictions had unexpectedly limited how fast drones could fly while staying connected. According to the report, Starlink imposed a 100mph (160km/h) speed limit on Tuesday night, meaning weapons travelling faster than that lost connectivity to the network.

Senators' concerns

The senators said they had 'grave concern' about reports of speed restrictions between 12 and 14 October. They asked the inspector general to establish whether the US defence department or its contractors caused the limits. The letter said the restrictions reportedly reduced Ukraine's ability to carry out defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure.

The signatories also said they were deeply worried by reports of disruptions or 'glitches' affecting intelligence-sharing and threat-warning capabilities used by personnel in Ukraine. They said they were particularly alarmed by incidents in which US diplomatic, military and security personnel could not reach designated bunkers during Russian air raids. The senators added that the incidents required immediate investigation because of the potentially deadly consequences.

Those signing the letter included Republicans Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and John Cornyn, as well as Democrats Richard Durbin, Jack Reed, Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Coons.

The White House and Pentagon have not responded to the suggestion that the US might have played a role in the reported slowdown.

Musk and Zelensky

SpaceX owner Elon Musk has suggested the US government may be behind the restrictions. On Wednesday, Musk wrote on X that the US government owns and controls Starshield systems, and that the US military and ultimately the US president decide any limits on speed or usage. Starlink is a civilian service using satellites in low Earth orbit to provide internet access, especially in remote areas. Starshield relies on the Starlink network and is designed for government and military use. Musk's SpaceX owns both.

Separately, Ukraine's President Zelensky has accused the US of withdrawing intelligence-sharing to pressure Kyiv into ending attacks on Russian energy sites. On Thursday, he said Ukraine's attacks would continue after Russia kept striking Ukraine's energy infrastructure during an 'energy ceasefire' announced by US President Donald Trump on Sunday. Zelensky said he had restricted attacks for three days and would agree to the ceasefire if Moscow also abided by it, but he accused Russia of ignoring the proposed deal within hours. The Kremlin did not say it had accepted the deal, and Russia said Kyiv had also tried to hit refineries on Wednesday, a claim Ukraine denied.

Zelensky also criticised a Russia-US agreement struck last week to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global marketplace, describing it as the US effectively investing in Russia's war effort. The deal was the latest effort by Trump to lower fuel prices in the US ahead of the midterm elections, after months of dealing with the political consequences of the Iran war, which sent fuel costs soaring.

Source: BBC World.