US Democrats direct Musk to preserve records on Ukraine’s Starlink restriction, WSJ reports

US Senate Democrats have ordered Elon Musk and SpaceX to preserve records about restrictions on Ukraine’s Starlink and Starshield services. The move follows renewed disruption to a communications system vital to Ukraine’s military, raising questions among the senators about SpaceX’s control over infrastructure with national security implications.

Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons want records from 1 September, including communications involving Musk, SpaceX, the White House and the US Defense Department. They cite service interruptions on 13–24 October and 12 November, and say reported speed limits of 161 kilometres per hour could hinder Ukraine’s efforts to intercept Russian strike drones. SpaceX denies any recent change, and Musk has disputed responsibility for the October restriction; the company is due to respond to the senators by 30 November.