Tillis calls on Pentagon inspector general to investigate Ukraine’s Starshield loss

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) says he and his Senate colleagues will ask the Defense Department’s inspector general to investigate Ukraine’s sudden loss of access to the military version of Starlink, known as Starshield, which hampered Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian drones.

Tillis said the “snafu” that left Ukrainian civilian and military targets exposed now appears to have been caused by something that happened at the Department of Defense, which operates Starshield.

And he said that senators will press the Pentagon’s inspector general to get to the bottom of what happened.

“The latest reporting suggests this strategic snafu may have occurred more locally within DOD Starshield systems, not with Starlink or SpaceX,” Tillis posted late Wednesday on the social platform X.

“I’m not holding my breath for Defense Secretary Hegseth to offer transparency, so we’ll be asking the DOD Inspector General to initiate an investigation and report back to Congress and the American People,” the North Carolina Republican continued. “Meanwhile, both Ukrainian civilians and U.S. diplomatic and security personnel were placed at unnecessary risk and without warning.”

Tillis added that Ukraine’s inability to access the data speeds it needed to track fast-moving threats was “at best” an “unacceptable error or lapse” and “at worst” a conscious “decision to clear the field for a Russian attack.”

Some lawmakers said President Trump and Elon Musk, the CEO and founder of SpaceX, which owns and operates Starlink, should be held accountable.

“Reports of Starlink failing in Ukraine are deeply alarming — potentially crippling air defense against Russia’s murderous missiles & drones. Trump & Musk must be held accountable,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who played a central role in passing a tough new Russia sanctions bill , wrote online Wednesday .

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) blamed the Trump administration for cutting off important intelligence sharing with Ukraine at a critical moment.

“The Administration’s decision to reduce intel sharing to Ukraine & access to Starlink equates to aiding the invader & the war criminal who bombs cities. Does the Administration think it will get ANY support for the remainder of the 119th Congress?” he posted to X .

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday called the loss of access to Starshield a “big mistake.”

“People will die, of course, if attacks will continue and if Starlink will not work … it’s not helpful,” he warned

Zelensky expressed hope that the limits Ukraine encountered on the satellite-based network were caused by a “mistake” or perhaps a “technical problem.”