US lawmakers demand probe into Starlink outages affecting Ukraine

Senior Republican lawmakers have called for a congressional investigation into disruptions affecting Starlink satellite communications used by Ukrainian forces, warning that unexplained restrictions could endanger lives and undermine Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks. Congressman Mike Turner of Ohio and Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota made the demand Sunday after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said services had not been fully restored and suggested restrictions followed instructions from the American government. Turner rejected Secretary of State Marco Rubio's explanation that no one ordered the slowdown, while Cramer said investigators must determine if the interruption was deliberate or a technical glitch. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed Zelensky's allegation as reckless, and Rubio said the service had been restored. Starlink, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has provided satellite internet to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, with Starshield serving as a separate government-focused program.