Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES) – Four Republican senators have joined Democratic lawmakers in demanding an investigation into whether senior Pentagon officials ordered or authorised restrictions on Ukraine’s access to the Starshield satellite network, after Kyiv said the disruption hampered its ability to defend against Russian drone attacks.
The bipartisan group has asked the Pentagon’s inspector general, Platte Moring, to investigate whether officials at the Department of Defense or its contractors changed intelligence-sharing arrangements or access to Starlink and Starshield services used by Ukraine.
Starshield is the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, providing high-speed connectivity from low-Earth orbit. Ukrainian forces rely on the system to operate drones as well as fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
The senators said they were gravely concerned about reports that Ukraine had lost access to the high-speed connectivity needed to operate military systems effectively.
“We urgently request an Inspector General investigation into these incidents, including whether actions or decisions by the Department of Defense or its contractors contributed to these dangerous circumstances,” they wrote.
Republicans Join Democratic Call For Investigation
The Republican signatories are Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Collins and Cornyn are also members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
They joined Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Dick Durbin, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons and Jack Reed, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The bipartisan inquiry follows the rapid restoration of Ukraine’s full access to Starshield on Wednesday, fuelling questions on Capitol Hill about who authorised the disruption.
A Senate source familiar with internal discussions said lawmakers were seeking to establish whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby or other senior Pentagon officials had been involved.
Questions Over Pentagon Authority
Tillis, a prominent congressional supporter of continued US military assistance to Ukraine, called for an inspector general investigation after expressing doubts that Hegseth would provide satisfactory answers to lawmakers.
“At best, this was an unacceptable error or lapse, and at worst a conscious decision to clear the field for a Russian attack,” Tillis said.
He also suggested that the problem may have originated within Pentagon-controlled Starshield systems rather than with SpaceX itself.
The controversy gained further momentum after SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government and that decisions over their speed or usage are ultimately made by the US military and the president.
The comments appeared to strengthen congressional calls for clarification over who authorized the restrictions.
Zelensky Calls Disruption A “Big Mistake”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the loss of access as a “big mistake” and warned that continued disruption could cost lives if Russian attacks persist.
“People will die, of course, if attacks will continue and if Starlink will not work,” Zelensky said.
The episode has revived broader congressional concerns about the Pentagon’s handling of military assistance to Ukraine under Hegseth.
Lawmakers have previously accused senior defense officials of delaying weapons shipments without adequate consultation with the White House. The Pentagon has defended some delays by citing concerns over US weapons stockpiles.
Republican national security figures now suspect that any restriction on Ukraine’s access to Starshield may likewise have been ordered by Pentagon officials without President Donald Trump’s explicit approval.
The inspector general inquiry could therefore determine not only why Ukraine’s access was disrupted, but also whether senior defense officials acted within their authority.
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