Pentagon Inspector General Declines Senators' Request to Investigate Starlink Restrictions in Ukraine

The Pentagon inspector general's office has declined a request from nine US senators to investigate restrictions recently imposed on Ukraine's military use of SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield satellite services. The office told the senators that the US Air Force and Space Force are better suited to address the questions, according to CNN, and a spokesperson said the matters were best addressed by the Department of War. Ukraine said earlier this month that military drones lost satellite connectivity above 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour), and the limit was removed after about 10 days.

Senators Sought an Independent Review

Five Democratic and four Republican senators sent an October 15 letter to Department of Defense Inspector General Platte Moring asking for a probe into the reported disruptions. They asked whether restrictions on Starlink or Starshield were directed, authorized or implemented by SpaceX, the Department of Defense or other US entities, whether they were consistent with US government contracts, and what the Defense Department did in response. The letter said the restrictions reportedly degraded Ukraine's ability to conduct defensive operations against Russian drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure, and that Starlink and Starshield support command and control, unmanned systems and operational coordination.

Inspector General Points to Air Force and Space Force

Moring told the senators in a letter Tuesday that the questions should be directed to the US Air Force and Space Force, according to CNN. Moring wrote that they are better suited to address the matters raised in the letter and to coordinate any Department responses. A spokesperson for the Pentagon inspector general's office told Ars that the Department of War Office of Inspector General answered recent correspondence from Congress regarding Starlink. The spokesperson said the office carefully considered the request and determined the matters were best addressed by the DOW, and that it may reconsider if new information comes to light.

Dispute Over Starlink and Starshield Use

Several days after a report that Musk ordered the slowdown, he accused Ukraine of violating Starlink terms of service by using it for lethal drone strikes. Musk said offensive drone strikes must rely instead on Starshield, not Starlink. Ukraine officials denied the accusation and said the speed limit affected their use of Starshield until it was fixed last weekend. Ukraine's Defense Ministry told reporters on October 24 that Starshield was working above speeds of 400 kilometers per hour, about 248 miles per hour, again, according to The Kyiv Independent. Trump denied ordering the restrictions, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration had no foreknowledge of the slowdown. Shaheen said it is concerning that the inspector general has apparently decided not to investigate and urged a full investigation, according to CNN.

Putin Comments and Russian Satellite Plan

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday reportedly called Elon Musk a genius while discussing Russia's plan to build a satellite constellation at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow. Reuters wrote that the admission was all the more striking because Starlink has been used by Ukraine's military as a key component of drone operations and battlefield communications. Putin reportedly made his comments during a presentation by a Russian government minister describing Russia's initial launches of 30 satellites. Putin noted that Starlink already operates thousands of satellites while Russia is only taking its first steps, and he said he has been in close contact with Musk.

Earlier coverage: WSJ reported that Musk ordered the Starlink slowdown in Ukraine and then blamed Trump

Sources: Ars Technica