US senators demand records on Musk's Starlink restrictions for Ukraine

US Democratic senators have called on Elon Musk to preserve all documents related to restrictions on Starlink and Starshield services for Ukraine, seeking to determine who decided to slow satellite communications used by Ukrainian military forces. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons sent a letter to the SpaceX head demanding retention of records from September 1, 2026, including internal correspondence about Starlink operations in Ukraine and communications between Musk, company leadership, the White House, and the Pentagon. They also asked whether instructions to limit satellite connectivity came from outside SpaceX, citing outages from October 13-24 and renewed restrictions on November 12. The senators expressed concern about SpaceX's control over communication systems vital to national security and the lack of transparency in decision-making. According to WSJ, Democrats plan to launch investigations into US administration actions during the Ukraine war after taking Congress control in January. SpaceX must respond by November 30. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the November 12 speed restriction to 161 km/h complicates drone use against Shahed drones.