On Wednesday, Elon Musk’s Starlink was pulled into the center of a controversy after Ukraine’s military faced restricted access to Starshield, the military version of the satellite-based system.
Starlink services were cut off for objects that traveled more than 100 mph, impacting the capabilities of Ukraine’s drones, airplanes and helicopters, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill.
In an interview Wednesday with Piers Morgan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the loss of access a “big mistake.”
“People will die, of course, if attacks will continue and if Starlink will not work … it’s not helpful,” he said.
Senators demand answers and accountability
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) publicly called on Musk to explain the loss of fast data speeds that Ukraine needs for its military operations.
In a social media post Wednesday, the North Carolina senator asked Musk for assurances on whether the disruptions to Starlink were unintended and that SpaceX is trying to fix the glitch.
Tillis further warned “intentionally degrading Ukraine’s ability to defend itself might be construed as aiding and abetting a mass murderer,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In another post late Wednesday, Tillis said he will be asking the Pentagon’s inspector general to start an investigation and report back to Congress.
“The latest reporting suggests this strategic snafu may have occurred more locally within DOD Starshield systems, not with Starlink or SpaceX,” he wrote in his post, referring to the Department of Defense.
“At best, this was an unacceptable error or lapse, and at worst a conscience decision to clear the field for a Russian attack,” he added.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who played a major part in passing a tough new Russia sanctions bill, took to social platform X on Wednesday to demand accountability.
“Reports of Starlink failing in Ukraine are deeply alarming— potentially crippling air defense against Russia’s murderous missiles & drones. Trump & Musk must be held accountable,” he wrote.
Musk says the decision is up to the president
As confusion erupted, the SpaceX CEO said Wednesday that the decisions to restrict the speed or usage of Starlink’s Starshield are made by the U.S. military and, ultimately, the president.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote in a comment on X.
“Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company,” he added.
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former minister of defense, said Wednesday afternoon that the country’s connectivity with Starlink was being restored at speeds of up to 160 km per hour. He thanked Musk for the returned speed and wrote, “We hope for your continued support.”
Warnings from House Republican
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), an Air Force veteran, said the recent moves, including reports that the U.S. has stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv, are helping an invader, referring to Putin.
“The Administration’s decision to reduce intel sharing to Ukraine & access to Starlink equates to aiding the invader & the war criminal who bombs cities,” Bacon wrote in a post on X.
“Does the Administration think it will get ANY support for the remainder of the 119th Congress? Their agenda is dead unless they change paths,” he added.
