The co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus in the US House of Representatives have spoken out against possible restrictions on Starlink satellite communications and the transfer of US intelligence to Ukraine. They stated that such measures could endanger civilians, particularly US citizens, who are in Ukraine, during Russian missile and drone attacks.
Briefly about the main points
- Four Members of Congress have called for no restrictions to be placed on communications and intelligence support for Ukraine.
- The authors of the statement linked access to data to the protection of civilians from attacks.
- The Ukrainian military have reported disruptions to the Starshield military package.
- There is no confirmation that the exchange of intelligence between the US and Ukraine has ceased entirely.
- Following the Russian attack, around 600,000 people were left without electricity.
The authors of the statement described the risks to civilians as unacceptable
A joint statement was published by the Democrats on 14 October on the social media platform X Marsie Kaptoor і Mike Quigley and the Republicans Brian Fitzpatrick і Joe Wilson. They expressed concern at reports of a possible restriction on Ukraine’s access to US intelligence and satellite communications.
«Restrictions that put civilians at risk are unacceptable», the lawmakers stated. In their view, US intelligence which Ukraine needs to defend itself against Russian attacks; Congress has previously supported its transfer on numerous occasions.
The authors of the appeal also pointed out that Ukraine’s access to Starlink are funded by the United States’ allies. They have stated that they will not support measures that pose additional risks to civilians. At the same time, the statement reflects the position of the coalition’s co-chairs, rather than a decision taken by the entire House of Representatives or Congress following a vote.
The military reported that Starshield experienced disruptions whilst in motion
On the same day, the Ukrainian military reported sudden restrictions on the operation of Starlink terminals used in combat drones. The President of Ukraine’s adviser on defence technologies Sergey Beskrestnov, known as «Flash», said that the changes relate to the defence package Starshield.
According to reports, the connection became unstable when the terminals were being moved at speeds exceeding 160 km/h. Reuters reported that the Ukrainian military had recorded interruptions even at lower speeds, as a result of which some combat operations had to be cancelled or suspended.
The issue concerns interceptor drones deployed against Russian «Shahed» jet-powered drones, as well as reconnaissance and logistics. Beskrestnov stated that the units had not been given advance warning. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has approached SpaceX, the US government and NATO partners to ascertain the reasons for the changes; SpaceX has not provided Reuters with an explanation.
The exchange of intelligence is generally continuing, but there have been problems with alerts
The Ukrainian authorities have reported that they received no advance warning from their partners prior to certain ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv. The President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had not received the necessary information prior to such attacks.
According to CBS News, US officials attributed one incident to a malfunction in the missile detection system caused by adverse weather conditions. The channel’s Ukrainian sources cast doubt on this explanation.
At the same time, there is no confirmation that the sharing of US intelligence has ceased entirely. Donald Trump On 13 October, he stated that the US continues to share information with Ukraine. Mr Zelenskyy also confirmed that the exchange is continuing as a whole, although the Ukrainian military had been warned of possible restrictions.
Concerns have intensified following a large-scale attack on the energy sector
Concerns over support for Ukraine have intensified following a new large-scale Russian attack on 14 October. According to reports from the Ukrainian authorities, the strikes damaged dozens of energy facilities, leaving around 600,000 people without electricity.
As of 14 October, the Congressional Ukraine Caucus had publicly called for continued support for Ukraine. The reasons behind the restrictions on Starshield have not yet been fully clarified, and claims that certain intelligence warnings may have been deliberately withheld require further confirmation.
