US Congress threatens to punish those responsible for Starshield restrictions for Ukraine
Republican member of the US House of Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick warned of possible investigations and financial sanctions against American agencies and officials involved in restricting the operation of the Starshield satellite system for Ukraine. The congressman intends to seek their accountability.
Fitzpatrick wrote this on the social network X on Monday, October 19.
According to the lawmaker, this week he plans to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and members of his team. The sides will discuss Starshield restrictions, sanction policy regarding Russia, and other issues of American military support.
Fitzpatrick intends to assure the Ukrainian president that any attempts to limit Ukraine's access to military satellite communications will have consequences for responsible American officials.
"Anyone who tries to limit the use of Starshield for Ukraine will undergo a comprehensive investigation and be held fully accountable," — the congressman stated.
He specified that this could involve public hearings in Congress, as well as immediate significant reduction in budget funding for agencies involved in such decisions, or structures headed by responsible officials.
However, Fitzpatrick has only announced possible measures. He did not report on holding new hearings or making decisions on budget cuts.
Congressman demanded tougher sanctions against Russia
In his statement, Fitzpatrick also touched upon the issue of American weapons supplies to Ukraine and economic restrictions against Moscow.
According to him, the United States must provide Ukraine with all necessary defense equipment, refuse imports of Russian oil, and tighten existing sanctions.
The congressman reminded of his legislative initiative Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act, aimed at limiting the ability of the US president to unilaterally lift sanctions on Russian oil.
Fitzpatrick expressed confidence that the relevant proposals will gain broad support in the House of Representatives. However, the results of the future vote are unknown.
He also emphasized that Ukraine remains an important ally of the United States and urged Washington to continue supporting Ukrainian defense.
Starshield restrictions caused divisions in Washington
The statement was prompted by problems with Starshield satellite communications that возникли у Ukrainian military on October 14.
Starshield is a specialized military satellite communications system created by SpaceX based on technologies of the commercial Starlink network. It is used to ensure secure communications, including when performing tasks involving drones.
After restrictions were introduced, Ukrainian military reported communication disruptions and failure of certain operations. Subsequently, the system partially restored, but the issue of terms of its use remained unresolved.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk previously stated that Starshield is under the control of the US government. According to him, restrictions on the use of this system are set by the American military, and the final authority belongs to the country's president.
However, Donald Trump on October 16 denied that he had ordered to limit Ukraine's access to Starshield. The American administration also rejected reports of its involvement in the disruptions.
Against the backdrop of these contradictions, a group of American senators from both parties already demanded an investigation into the circumstances of satellite communication restrictions for the Ukrainian military. The corresponding request was sent to the Pentagon's inspector general.
Fitzpatrick's new statement expands political pressure on American agencies: the congressman proposes not only to identify those responsible for possible restrictions, but also to apply budget measures to them through Congress.
Based on materials from: Brian Fitzpatrick, X, The Wall Street Journal.
