Senators set Nov. 30 deadline for Musk to preserve Starlink records

Two senior US senators demanded on Friday, Nov. 13, that Elon Musk preserve SpaceX records related to restrictions on Ukraine's Starlink and Starshield systems, as leading House Democrats warned the disruptions had contributed to Ukrainian civilian deaths.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Chris Coons sent Musk a four-page letter demanding preservation of internal communications, technical records, contracts and correspondence with the White House and Pentagon. They gave SpaceX until Nov. 30 to confirm compliance.

The senators demanded records dating back to Sept. 1, including communications involving Musk, company executives, US officials and Ukrainian authorities. Their request covers network logs, software changes, operational instructions and records identifying who authorized or implemented the restrictions, as well as any relevant communications with Russian officials.

They wrote that the October and November restrictions "raise the disturbing possibility that these vulnerabilities persist" even within systems on which the US government relies.

Congressman Gregory Meeks, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congressman Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said the previous intentional limitations "contributed to Ukrainian civilian casualties and the deaths of Ukrainian children". They said any restrictions "strengthen Putin's hand at the negotiating table".

Meeks and Smith also criticised President Donald Trump and his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, saying they had "tried to strong-arm Ukraine into giving up territory and surrendering".

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Starshield speed restrictions remained in place along Ukraine's front line and across Russian-occupied territory. "Temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory is ours," he said, adding that "speed restrictions there are a very bad signal".

Ukrainian military sources said Starshield-connected equipment could not maintain service above 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) in Russian-occupied areas. SpaceX said: "This is false. There has been no change."

Shaheen and Republican Senator Thom Tillis separately demanded that Washington and SpaceX restore Ukraine's Starshield capabilities. The bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus, representing 105 House members, also demanded answers and immediate restoration of access.