Ranking Member Raskin and Subcommittee Ranking Member Garcia Launch Investigation into Russia’s Alleged Illegal Use of Starlink Internet Satellites

Washington, D.C. (March 7, 2024)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, sent a letter to Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, following troubling reporting that Russian forces may have illicitly obtained and used Starlink internet satellite terminals to bolster its coordinated attacks against Ukrainian troops in illegally-occupied regions of Eastern and Southern Ukraine.

“Starlink is an invaluable resource for Ukrainians in their fight against Russia’s brutal and illegitimate invasion.  It is alarming that Russia may be obtaining and using your technology to coordinate attacks against Ukrainian troops in illegally occupied regions in Eastern and Southern Ukraine, potentially in violation of U.S. sanctions and export controls,” wrote the Ranking Members.  “SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk publicly stated that, ‘[t]o the best of our knowledge, no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia.’  However, according to Ukraine, the misuse of Starlink terminals is ‘systemic,’ raising additional questions about the efficacy of your company’s safeguards and compliance with U.S. sanctions and export controls.  We are concerned that you do not have appropriate guardrails and policies in place to ensure your technology is neither acquired nor used illegally by Russia.”

The letter follows intercepted audio communications between Russian soldiers released on February 11, 2024, by Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR), claiming that Russian forces illegally deployed and activated Starlink terminals in certain Russian-occupied areas in Eastern Ukraine—including the Donetsk region.  Russia’s use of Starlink satellite terminals would be in contravention of U.S. export controls that prohibit Russia from acquiring and utilizing U.S.-produced technology.

President Biden and U.S. federal officials, including Oversight Committee Democrats, have consistently reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty amidst Russia’s “premeditated, unprovoked, and brutal full-scale invasion.”  Federal agencies have taken numerous enforcement actions against U.S. exporters and third parties that seek to or successfully evade sanctions and export laws by facilitating the illicit trade of goods and technologies to Russia.

Russian procurement of, use of, or interference with Starlink terminals has the potential to advance the goals of Russia’s illegal and brutally lethal invasion of Ukraine.  The Ranking Members request that SpaceX provide information on the company’s oversight of the potential unsanctioned procurement and use of Starlink terminals by Russian forces.  The Ranking Members also requested a staff briefing on this issue no later than March 20, 2024.

Click here  to read the letter.