Congress members demand answers over new Starshield restrictions for Ukraine
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REUTERS/Inna Varenytsia
The Congressional Ukraine Caucus is demanding answers from
President Donald Trump’s administration and SpaceX over renewed
restrictions on Starshield’s service in Ukraine, the group said in a Twitter post.
“On behalf of the 105 Members of the Bipartisan
Congressional Ukraine Caucus, we are demanding a full accounting from the Trump
Administration and SpaceX on how and why this occurred and immediate action to
restore full access to Starshield,” the message said.
On Oct. 14, Ukrainian officials reported speed
restrictions that caused the military Starshield connection to drop at speeds
above 160 kph. The Telegraph reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk personally
initiated the restrictions.
On Oct. 23, Trump said Musk had lifted the
restrictions. By Oct. 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that
Starlink and Starshield were again operating at the same speeds as before the
restrictions. He said media attention had helped restore full service.
Earlier on Nov. 12, Zelenskyy said that, according to
briefings from Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara and Ukrainian Armed Forces
Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi, significant disruptions had been detected
in SpaceX’s Starshield satellite system in Ukraine for several days.
The Financial Times, citing Ukrainian officials, reported
that the United States may have deliberately limited the speed of Ukraine’s
Starshield military communications to pressure Kyiv during talks with Russia
held Nov. 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
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