Bennet, Welch, Meeks, Colleagues Demand Answers from Musk on Ukraine Starlink Disruptions 

Ukraine relies on Starlink and its military-grade version to defend against Russian attacks on civilians 

Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), and other bicameral colleagues on a letter demanding that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explain what he and his company know about disruptions to Ukraine’s access to satellite communications provided by Starlink and Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink. Ukraine relies on both systems for its self-defense against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unrelenting aggression. 

In their letter, the lawmakers underscore that while Musk publicly asserted that limits to Starshield access are “decided by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS,” reporting indicates that Musk personally suggested that President Trump throttle Ukraine’s Starshield access. Musk himself said that he restricted Ukraine’s Starlink access.

“Since the failure of his ground invasion, Russian leader Vladimir Putin turned to a brutal air campaign targeting Ukrainian civilians to wear down public morale. Just last month, more than 300 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 2,000 injured by Russian drone and missile strikes. Ukraine has built an innovative network of drone systems to defend against the thousands of strikes launched each month by Russia. However, these life-saving systems often depend on Starlink’s military version, Starshield, for accurate communication and transmission of targeting data,” wrote the lawmakers. 

“Last week on October 13, 2026, Ukrainian officials said that their forces suddenly lost access to Starshield communications inside Ukraine for drones moving over 100 miles per hour. That interruption halted Ukraine’s ability to guide its self-defense drones against incoming Russian missiles and drones and stopped Ukrainian attacks against Russian positions. That very night, Russia launched a record-setting coordinated drone and missile barrage at Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure, using at least 39 ballistic and hypersonic missiles and 128 Shahed-type drones. The strikes killed at least three civilians, including a child, and injured at least 21,” continued the lawmakers. 

“As a publicly traded company, SpaceX has a legal obligation to disclose to shareholders and the public material events that could affect your business model. The revelation that you personally wielded control over a foreign country’s military communications would require disclosure of elevated risks for corporate governance, geopolitical exposure, and potential adverse actions by foreign governments,” concluded the lawmakers.

The lawmakers requested answers to the following questions by October 31, 2026: 

1. Have you or any SpaceX official at any point discussed limiting Starlink access for Ukrainian forces inside Russia or Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump, or any officials or representatives acting on their behalf? Please provide any such communications or records of communications.
2. Did you, SpaceX, or entities operating on SpaceX’s behalf reduce, shut off, or throttle Starlink access to Ukrainian forces this month—either inside Russia or Ukraine? If so, why and on whose orders? 
3. Have you or any official at SpaceX communicated to Ukrainian officials any conditions or actions required for a full or partial resumption of Starlink access for Ukrainian defense forces? 
4. Did President Trump or the White House, in fact, make a request to restore Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield systems? Have those systems been fully restored? If so, when? And if not, why not? 
5. Which specific individuals, agencies, or entities control the operational decisions from this day forward on restoring full and non-capped access to Starlink and Starshield communications systems for Ukrainian forces? 

Bennet continues to lead Congressional efforts to support the Ukrainian people’s fight against Putin’s aggression. 

Upon news of the Starshield and Starlink disruptions, Bennet demanded that SpaceX restore full service. He also expressed his support for Congressional efforts to support the development of alternatives to SpaceX so that Elon Musk does not execute a veto over U.S. national security.

Bennet leads legislation in the FY27 Senate intelligence and defense bills, both of which have passed their respective committees, to bolster intelligence-sharing and drone cooperation with Ukraine. Bennet recently joined bipartisan colleagues to introduce and pass the Sanctioning Russia Act. He also sponsors legislation to impose sanctions on entities trading in Russian oil, to expose and punish Russia’s systematic persecution of religious communities in Ukraine, and to repurpose frozen Russian sovereign assets held in the United States to support Ukraine, building on legislation he co-sponsored that former President Joe Biden signed into law in April 2024. Earlier this year, Bennet led seven colleagues in a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent urging the Trump administration to crack down on a Russian state-backed cryptocurrency sanctions evasion network funding Putin’s war. 

In addition to Bennet, Welch, and Meeks, Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), and Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) signed the letter. 

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Mr. Musk:

Your company’s Starlink communications system has been instrumental in allowing Ukraine to defend itself against Russian missile and drone attacks targeting civilians. Access to Starlink has recently been throttled or cut off entirely, without a clear explanation as to why. 

Since the failure of his ground invasion, Russian leader Vladimir Putin turned to a brutal air campaign targeting Ukrainian civilians to wear down public morale. Just last month, more than 300 Ukrainian civilians were killed and 2,000 injured by Russian drone and missile strikes. Ukraine has built an innovative network of drone systems to defend against the thousands of strikes launched each month by Russia. However, these life-saving systems often depend on Starlink’s military version, Starshield, for accurate communication and transmission of targeting data. 

Last week on October 13, 2026, Ukrainian officials said that their forces suddenly lost access to Starshield communications inside Ukraine for drones moving over 100 miles per hour. That interruption halted Ukraine’s ability to guide its self-defense drones against incoming Russian missiles and drones and stopped Ukrainian attacks against Russian positions. That very night, Russia launched a record-setting coordinated drone and missile barrage at Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure, using at least 39 ballistic and hypersonic missiles and 128 Shahed-type drones. The strikes killed at least three civilians, including a child, and injured at least 21. 

You have publicly asserted that limits to Starlink access are “decided by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS.” Yet public reporting indicates that you personally brought the suggestion to President Trump to slow down Ukrainian communications through SpaceX’s Starlink systems, and U.S. government officials have reportedly indicated that you personally ordered the speed cap on Ukrainian military use of Starshield. Reports published yesterday indicate that President Trump called you to personally ask for restoration of Starshield capabilities and the President has asserted it was restored, and yet public reports indicate the system remains severely restricted for Ukraine’s defense forces.

As a publicly traded company, SpaceX has a legal obligation to disclose to shareholders and the public material events that could affect your business model. The revelation that you personally wielded control over a foreign country’s military communications would require disclosure of elevated risks for corporate governance, geopolitical exposure, and potential adverse actions by foreign governments. We therefore ask for your responses to the following by October 31, 2026: 

1. Have you or any SpaceX official at any point discussed limiting Starlink access for Ukrainian forces inside Russia or Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump, or any officials or representatives acting on their behalf? Please provide any such communications or records of communications.
2. Did you, SpaceX, or entities operating on SpaceX’s behalf reduce, shut off, or throttle Starlink access to Ukrainian forces this month—either inside Russia or Ukraine? If so, why and on whose orders? 
3. Have you or any official at SpaceX communicated to Ukrainian officials any conditions or actions required for a full or partial resumption of Starlink access for Ukrainian defense forces? 
4. Did President Trump or the White House, in fact, make a request to restore Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield systems? Have those systems been fully restored? If so, when? And if not, why not? 
5. Which specific individuals, agencies, or entities control the operational decisions from this day forward on restoring full and non-capped access to Starlink and Starshield communications systems for Ukrainian forces? 

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