Pentagon watchdog declines to probe Starlink slowdowns to Ukraine, sending case to Air Force

Inspector general refuses to act

The Pentagon's inspector general has refused a bipartisan request to investigate disruptions to Starlink and Starshield, the military-grade version of the service, in Ukraine. In a response dated Tuesday, 27 October, and obtained by AP, the watchdog told the group of nine senators, four Republicans and five Democrats, that their concerns are better answered by the Air Force. A congressional aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision is being read as a reluctance to scrutinize Elon Musk and SpaceX, even though the office is well placed to do so. The same letter also declined to examine the disruption of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine, which the inspector general described as a business dispute beyond his purview.

Republican senators4

Democratic senators5

Republican senators

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Democratic senators

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Data from the article text

Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who signed the original letter, told AP in a statement that the apparent decision was troubling.

“It is concerning that the Inspector General has apparently decided not to investigate satellite communication disruptions that Ukraine relies on to protect its civilians.”

Shaheen added that the Trump administration and SpaceX have provided "conflicting accounts" of what caused the disruptions and called for an independent review to establish responsibility.

Ukraine's connectivity under strain

Starlink and its military version, Starshield, are described as critical to Ukraine's wartime connectivity. Ukrainian officials reported in October that connection speeds were being throttled, and said the restrictions impeded the ability to intercept fast-moving Russian attack drones. The problems began overnight into 14 October, when Starshield terminals started losing their connection at high speed. On 24 October, Ukraine's defense minister Yevhen Khmara confirmed that Starlink and Starshield service had been restored in the country.

Musk's account and the denials

Musk acknowledged on 24 October that SpaceX had throttled Starlink in Ukraine, saying Kyiv had breached the terms of service, an accusation Ukrainian authorities denied. In a post on X he said the loophole had been closed and accused Ukraine of using Starlink for offensive drone attacks aimed at killing people. He maintained that Starshield remains under the control of the US government, which decides how it is used. Donald Trump denied that he had issued any orders on the matter, while Vice President JD Vance suggested there had been coordination between the White House and Musk. In 2022, early in the war, Musk had ordered Starlink cut in regions such as Kherson and Donetsk, citing concern about a possible Russian escalation.

Unanswered questions

The Trump administration has given confusing and at times contradictory explanations of who made the decision to slow the service. A congressional aide said concerns over Musk's control of Starlink go back years and were part of the reason Starshield was created as the military-facing version. For now the lawmakers' request has gone unanswered by the inspector general, with the matter referred to the Air Force.