Nearly 20 US lawmakers urge allowing Ukraine to use Starlink against Russian launch sites
Nearly 20 members of the US Congress have signed a group letter calling for Ukraine to be permitted to use Starlink to strike launch sites inside Russia. The letter was organized by Representative Joe Wilson and more than two dozen of his colleagues from the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. The appeal comes amid reported restrictions on the satellite system's performance for Ukrainian forces.
Key points
- Nearly 20 US lawmakers signed a group letter calling for Ukraine to be allowed to use Starlink to strike launch sites in Russia.
- Representative Joe Wilson organized the letter together with more than two dozen colleagues from the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus.
- The lawmakers urge permitting Ukraine to use Starlink against Russian launch sites.
- Reports say Elon Musk ordered a reduction in the speed of the military version of Starlink for Ukraine.
- The reported slowdown has made some Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones effectively unusable.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the US decision to restrict Starlink for Ukraine was a mistake that would lead to casualties.
- Republican Senator Thom Tillis is initiating an investigation into the Pentagon's handling of Starlink issues reported by Ukrainian forces.
Why it matters
The letter goes to the heart of whether Ukraine can use Starlink to hit targets inside Russia and is linked to the broader question of restrictions on the satellite system that Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications and drone control. Any change would directly affect the operational capability of Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones.
What happened
Nearly 20 members of the US Congress signed a group letter calling on the US government to allow Ukraine to use Starlink to strike launch sites on the territory of Russia. The letter was prepared by Representative Joe Wilson together with more than two dozen of his colleagues from the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. The appeal comes against the backdrop of reports that the speed of the military version of Starlink for Ukraine was reduced on Elon Musk's orders, that this has rendered some Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones effectively unusable, and that the order to restrict use of the Starshield satellite system, which Ukraine uses for battlefield communications and drone control, came from the White House. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the US restrictions a mistake that will cost lives, and Republican Senator Thom Tillis is initiating an investigation into the Pentagon's handling of the Starlink issues faced by Ukrainian forces.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets frame the story around the lawmakers' call to allow Ukraine to use Starlink against Russian launch sites and around the practical consequences of the reported restrictions for Ukrainian troops — particularly the impact on strike and interceptor drones and Zelenskyy's warning that the restrictions will cost lives.
How international sources describe it
The international framing centres on the initiative by US lawmakers seeking to change the restrictions on Ukraine's use of Starlink.
Background
Reports have said that Elon Musk ordered a reduction in the speed of the military version of Starlink for Ukraine, and that as a result some Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones became effectively unusable. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the US restrictions as a mistake that could lead to casualties, and Republican Senator Thom Tillis is initiating an investigation into the Pentagon's handling of the Starlink problems reported by the Ukrainian military.