Pentagon Inspector General Rejects Probe Into Ukraine Starlink Slowdowns

The Pentagon’s Office of the Inspector General has declined to open a formal investigation into recent disruptions of Starlink and Starshield services in Ukraine.

The watchdog body responded to a request from a bipartisan group of nine US senators, consisting of four Republicans and five Democrats. The lawmakers asked the office to determine if any Pentagon or other US government officials directed, authorized, approved, or had advance knowledge of changes to intelligence-sharing arrangements or satellite services affecting Ukraine.

In a written response obtained by the Associated Press, the Inspector General’s Office stated that the US Air Force is better placed to answer the senators' concerns. Mollie Halpern, a spokesperson for the office, said the watchdog carefully considered the request and determined the matters raised were best addressed by the Department of Defense. She added that the Pentagon may revisit the decision if new information arises.

The decision has drawn criticism from lawmakers who view the move as a refusal to scrutinize the influence of SpaceX owner Elon Musk over the defense communications system. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the decision concerning. She noted that the Trump administration and SpaceX have provided conflicting accounts of what led to the disruptions. Shaheen argued that an independent accounting is necessary to determine responsibility and prevent future incidents.

A congressional aide familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, characterized the response as a refusal to investigate Musk and Starlink despite the office’s capability to do so. The aide noted that concerns on Capitol Hill regarding Musk’s control over Starlink have persisted for years. These long-standing concerns were one reason for creating Starshield, the military version of the system.

The investigation was prompted after Ukrainian officials reported in October that connection speeds to Starlink and Starshield had been restricted. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on October 19 that the equipment stopped working at speeds of 130 to 161 km/h in various sectors of the front line. He said the restrictions disrupted logistics and limited Ukraine’s use of drones, specifically hindering the interception of Russian jet attack drones.

Musk’s public comments have added to the confusion regarding who ordered the slowdowns. On October 21, Musk wrote that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately President Donald Trump. Two days later, on October 23, Musk claimed the Ukrainian military violated the terms of use for the communications system. He also stated that if Starlink were switched off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately.

Reports from The Wall Street Journal suggest that Musk ordered the speed reduction for the military version of Starlink, which rendered a portion of Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones practically unusable. The paper also reported that President Trump called Musk on October 22 and asked him to lift the restrictions on Starshield in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy believes that the public attention surrounding the connection restrictions has helped restore the Starlink system’s operation to the required speed. The Pentagon referred requests for comment to the Inspector General’s Office, while the Air Force did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Both entities had previously declined to answer questions regarding the restriction of Ukraine’s access to satellite internet.

The Inspector General’s decision leaves the question of who authorized the service changes unanswered. The Air Force has not yet provided a statement on why it is better positioned to handle the inquiry than the independent oversight body.