Republicans Seek Probe of Ukraine Starlink Disruptions

Republican lawmakers are calling for a congressional investigation into disruptions to SpaceX's Starlink satellite service used by Ukraine, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement that no one in the White House ordered the slowdown and that it "sort of happened." Representative Mike Turner of Ohio said Sunday that Congress must determine what happened to technology relied on by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations, stating "lives are at risk." Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota backed the inquiry, suggesting the disruption could have resulted from a technical problem rather than a deliberate decision. Reuters reported Thursday, citing officials, that the order to slow the Starshield service came from inside the White House, though no decision-maker was identified. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the restriction was a U.S. government decision technically implemented by SpaceX, and appealed for it to be lifted. The disruption cut internet data connections for terminals moving faster than 100 mph, affecting Ukrainian drones and helicopters used to intercept Russian Shahed drones. A bipartisan group of nine senators has also requested a Pentagon inspector general investigation into the matter.