WASHINGTON — Six Democratic lawmakers on Friday demanded that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explain reported restrictions on satellite communications used by Ukrainian forces and identify who ordered them.
Four other Democrats signed their letter to the SpaceX chief executive. Meeks, of New York, and Welch, of Vermont, gave Musk until Oct. 31 to respond, including on whether Ukraine’s full access has been restored.
According to their letter, Ukrainian officials said their forces lost Starshield communications inside Ukraine on Oct. 13 for drones traveling faster than 100 mph. Starshield is the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system.
The lawmakers wrote that the interruption prevented Ukraine from guiding drones used to intercept Russian missiles and drones. It also halted Ukrainian strikes on Russian positions, they said.
Musk has publicly said limits on access are “decided by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS,” according to the letter. The lawmakers cited reporting that Musk himself suggested slowing Ukrainian communications to President Donald Trump.
They also pointed to reports quoting U.S. government officials who said Musk personally ordered the speed cap on Ukraine’s military use of Starshield.
The letter cited a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday that Trump called Musk and asked him to restore Starshield capabilities. Trump has said service was restored, but the lawmakers cited other reports indicating substantial restrictions remained.
The Virginia Times has not independently verified the accounts cited in the letter. The supplied announcement did not include a response from Musk or SpaceX to the lawmakers’ questions.
The letter described the satellite connections as essential to Ukraine’s drone defenses, which use them to communicate and transmit targeting data. Russian drone and missile strikes killed more than 300 Ukrainian civilians and injured 2,000 in September, the lawmakers wrote.
They also cited an attack on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure on the night of Oct. 13. According to the letter, Russian forces used at least 39 ballistic and hypersonic missiles and 128 Shahed-type drones. At least three civilians, including a child, were killed and at least 21 were injured, the lawmakers said.
The lawmakers asked whether Musk, SpaceX or anyone acting for the company reduced, throttled or shut off Ukrainian forces’ access this month, either inside Ukraine or Russia. They requested an explanation of any such action and who ordered it.
Another question sought records of discussions about limiting access involving Musk, SpaceX officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump or representatives acting for either president.
The letter also asked whether SpaceX had given Ukrainian officials conditions for restoring service, whether Trump or the White House requested restoration and whether access had been fully restored.
Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Welch were joined by Sens. Adam Schiff of California and Michael Bennet of Colorado. Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the House Rules Committee, also signed.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats released the letter Friday. Among the questions awaiting answers is who now controls decisions on restoring unrestricted satellite communications for Ukrainian forces.
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