Hegseth says Ukraine posture unchanged, but ‘our guys’ need interceptors too
Blumenthal wants answers on who ordered the speed cap after Ukrainian officials said the restrictions disrupted drone and interceptor operations.
- On Thursday, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal launched an inquiry into sudden Starshield service restrictions that hampered Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian drones, demanding answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on who authorized the throttling.
- Ukrainian forces lost critical Starshield access overnight on October 14 when SpaceX capped connection speeds at 161 kilometers per hour, disrupting drone operations and weakening air defenses without prior warning.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the Pentagon had not ordered any reduction in support, though reports suggest Elon Musk personally directed the slowdown, leaving ambiguous who maintains final authority over critical battlefield communications.
- Blumenthal set November 5 and November 12 as deadlines for Pentagon and SpaceX responses, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Saturday that Starshield speeds were restored to pre-restriction levels following high-level communications.
- The episode raises urgent questions about who controls critical satellite infrastructure the US government has spent billions procuring, as lawmakers explore investigations into contractual oversight and private-sector reliance for military communications.
107 Articles
107 Articles
Pete Hegseth Faces Demand to Testify Over Donald Trump-Elon Musk Starshield Mess
Senator Adam Schiff wants Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to appear before Congress. Schiff demands that Hegseth explain why a military version of Starlink, used by Ukraine’s armed forces, was slowed down. The Senator addresses the clashing accounts from the White House and SpaceX and calls for answers. Adam Schiff calls for Pete Hegseth testimony over […]
Schiff: Hegseth Should Testify On Starlink Throttling
NBC News reports: Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth should testify before the Senate on the Starlink satellite limitations that disrupted Ukrainian military operations. If Democrats retake the Senate, Schiff told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker, “Defense Secretary Hegseth should be brought in. Anyone who … The post Schiff: Hegseth Should Testify On Starlink Throttling app…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Washington has fully restored the transmission of early warnings of Russian ballistic missile strikes to Kiev after recent disruptions.
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