The Pentagon Inspector General, Platte Moring, has declined a request from nine US senators to investigate reported disruptions to Starlink and Starshield services in Ukraine. Moring stated that the inquiry should be directed to the US Air Force and Space Force, noting they are better equipped to address the concerns.
The request for an investigation, sent on October 15, followed reports that Ukrainian military drones lost satellite connectivity when exceeding speeds of 161 kilometers per hour. This speed restriction was reportedly removed after approximately 10 days, and by October 24, Ukrainian officials confirmed that Starshield was operational at speeds above 400 kilometers per hour.
Senators raised concerns regarding potential links between these satellite disruptions and reported issues with intelligence-sharing. They questioned whether restrictions were authorized by SpaceX, the Department of Defense, or other government entities, and if such actions complied with existing contracts.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen criticized the Inspector General's decision, citing conflicting accounts from the administration and SpaceX regarding the cause of the service slowdowns. She emphasized the need for an independent review to determine responsibility and ensure future operational stability for personnel and defense efforts.
Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently described Elon Musk as a genius while discussing Russia's plans to develop its own satellite constellation. Putin noted that Russia is in close contact with Musk to manage orbital activities and avoid interference with the thousands of satellites already operated by Starlink.
