Pentagon Needs to Open Up About Russia’s Use of Starlink, Senator Says
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D. Mass.) pressed the Pentagon to address Russian troops’ illicit use of Starlink internet terminals in Ukraine, calling the issue a “serious national security threat” to the U.S. and its allies.
In a letter addressed to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Warren cited a Wall Street Journal investigation that illustrated how a black market of middlemen from the Middle East and elsewhere have funneled the compact satellite dishes into the hands of American adversaries and accused war criminals on the battlefields of Ukraine and Sudan.
Starlink, a part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has proved crucial for Ukrainian soldiers and civilians since Musk activated terminals there in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion. But officials in Kyiv complain that Russian forces’ recent use of the satellite links is erasing one of the defenders’ few strategic advantages.
The company supplies some devices to Ukraine through a $23 million contract with the Department of Defense. Other terminals in Ukraine come from donations by European governments and private-sector groups.
“As a DoD contractor, SpaceX cannot allow its products or services to be used to undermine national security,” Warren wrote. The letter asked the Pentagon to detail what it knows about Russian Starlink usage and the tools available to stop it.
A Pentagon spokesman said the department responds directly to members of Congress on such matters. “However, we can reinforce that we are aware of the reports that some Russian forces in occupied Ukraine have used Starlink terminals,” he said. “DoD has been working closely with SpaceX and the Government of Ukraine to investigate and address this threat.”
SpaceX has told regulators that its user agreements bar customers from using the service in unauthorized countries. Starlink lacks licenses to operate in China, Russia and many other countries, and U.S. export controls prohibit its sale in Russia.
Musk has said on the social media platform X, which he also controls, that to the best of his knowledge, no terminals had been sold directly or indirectly to Russia and that the terminals wouldn’t work inside the country.
A thriving trade nevertheless continues to supply fresh Starlink terminals to Russian buyers, often by exploiting the service’s roaming feature.
The latest letter illustrates some U.S. officials’ growing discomfort with the commanding lead Musk’s space company has taken over its rivals. Once a scrappy startup, SpaceX now dominates the market for many commercial satellite launches. Its network of more than 5,000 Starlink satellites has also upended the market for broadband service from space by offering a relatively affordable, easy-to-install internet link.
Warren has pressed Musk’s companies on other fronts. In March, she renewed calls on the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Tesla violated rules governing board independence at public companies.
The Massachusetts senator and several colleagues in September asked the defense secretary to explain reports that Musk had shut off Ukrainian Starlink access in Crimea to prevent the country from attacking Russian ships. Musk told biographer Walter Isaacson he decided to limit the service to avoid what he considered an escalation in the conflict.
The WSJ’s investigation in early April also detailed the use of Starlink by rebel forces in Sudan, where the technology has not been approved by the government. Nearly a week after the investigation, SpaceX began a crackdown on users who are connecting to its Starlink high-speed internet service from countries where it hasn’t been authorized.
Starlink customers there, as well as in Zimbabwe and South Africa, have received email notifications from the company, warning that their access to the service would be terminated. Those emails, viewed by the Journal, noted that using Starlink in areas where it hasn’t been approved by local regulators was against the company’s terms of service.
Emily Glazer contributed to this article.