Politics · United States · 3 hrs ago
US senators seek probe into Starlink disruptions in Ukraine
Nine US senators called for an investigation into disruptions to Starlink and Starshield services in Ukraine.
They wrote to the Defense Department’s inspector general, asking whether US officials approved or knew about the interruptions in advance.
Ukraine relies on Starlink data to help intercept Russian drones, and the senators said the disruptions put US personnel at risk.
The service interruptions affected Ukraine’s military operations, according to an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky called the shutdown a mistake and asked SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk to restore service.
The senators want findings by November 1; a Ukrainian news agency, citing sources, reported that Starshield operations in Ukraine had fully resumed.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen and eight other US senators have asked the Defense Department inspector general to investigate Starlink and Starshield service disruptions in Ukraine.
The senators want to know whether US officials approved the disruptions or knew about them in advance.
They said the loss of service put US diplomatic, military and security personnel in danger.
The Hill reported that four Republican senators joined the letter, which raised concern about Ukraine losing access to intelligence-sharing and high-speed Starlink data.
TASS reported that, citing sources, Starshield operations in Ukraine had fully resumed by October 15.
- Who
- Senator Jeanne Shaheen and eight other US senators.
- What
- They asked the Defense Department inspector general to investigate disruptions to Starlink and Starshield services in Ukraine.
- When
- The reports were published on October 15 and 16, 2026. The senators asked for findings by November 1.
- Where
- Ukraine.
- Why
- The senators said the disruptions put US personnel in danger and want to know whether US officials approved them or knew about them in advance.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Hill reported that four Republican senators had joined a letter seeking an inspector general investigation.
TASS reported, citing RBC-Ukraine and its sources, that Starshield operations in Ukraine had fully resumed.
TASS reported that Shaheen and eight other senators had sent the inspector general a letter requesting an investigation.
The senators asked to be informed of the investigation’s findings no later than this date.
- Senators
- Jeanne Shaheen and eight other senators
- Republican signatories
- Four, according to The Hill
- Investigation target
- Department of Defense inspector general
- Requested findings deadline
- November 1
- Service
- Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine
3 sources
What people are saying
calling for an investigation into the disruption of the US-maintained Starshield systems for Ukrainian partners
put US diplomatic, military and security personnel in danger