Members of the US House of Representatives have called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to extend the contract for the government's Starshield satellite system and restore Ukraine's full access to Starlink and Starshield after recent disruptions to communication services. This was reported by Ukrinform, citing an appeal by US lawmakers to the head of the Pentagon and the US Department of Defense.
The congressmen insist that the services be provided without speed restrictions, that the necessary geographical coverage be maintained, including over the territory of Russia, and that a smooth transition from the commercial Starlink network to the government Starshield system be ensured.
„The Ukrainian Armed Forces rely on these services for command and control, intelligence exchange, battlefield communications, and control of unmanned systems“, the lawmakers point out.According to them, the deterioration of the quality of the connection, the limitation of geographical coverage, or the interruptions of access weaken Ukraine's military capabilities, give the Russian troops an operational advantage, and pose a risk to the lives of civilians.
A call for greater control of Pentagon
US lawmakers say that decisions on the availability, coverage and effectiveness of services should not be left solely to a private provider when they directly affect Ukraine's ability to defend itself.
“Decisions on the availability of services, coverage and effectiveness should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider when they directly affect Ukraine's ability to defend itself,“ the letter says.The congressmen call on the US Department of Defense to evaluate the possibility of using the powers under Title I of the Defense Production Act. This mechanism allows the federal government to require companies to prioritize government contracts.
According to lawmakers, these powers should be considered in conjunction with existing contractual mechanisms to ensure Ukraine has reliable access to the necessary capacity, level of service and geographical coverage to conduct legitimate military operations.
“The United States and Europe have made significant investments in Ukraine's defense, as a Russian victory would threaten our security. These investments should not be negated by disruptions in the communications infrastructure on which the Ukrainian military depends, if such disruptions can be avoided,“ the congressmen said.
Ukraine checks Starlink work
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country is checking Starlink work in various directions, including near the front line. According to him, Kiev is awaiting decisions from the US administration and SpaceX to lift the speed restrictions.
The American call raises the question of greater Pentagon involvement in managing access to satellite communications, which Ukrainian forces use for communication, data exchange and control of unmanned systems.
Sources: ukrinform.ua