SpaceX Violated US Sanctions? Russia’s Starlink Use Raise Congress Concerns

Elon Musk's SpaceX and Starlink are now under probe from the US Congress after concerns were raised in its violation of US sanctions against Russia. This is because of the belief that Russia has access to Starlink's satellite internet connectivity which makes them eligible to get online access that furthers their cause amidst its conflict with Ukraine that has been going on for a long time now.

It is known that Musk is also one to provide satellite internet service to Ukraine, initially paying for the country's access before handing the responsibility to the US government.

SpaceX Raise Concerns in US Congress for Russia Starlink Use

A new letter sent by US representatives Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell signals the Congress' move towards probing the company for their connections to Russia and the country's Starlink use. This centers on the beliefs and speculations behind the said Russian Starlink use, as the country is prohibited due to US sanctions.

According to the US representatives, it is believed that Russia "may be obtaining and using your technology to coordinate attacks against Ukrainian troops in illegally occupied regions on Eastern and Southern Ukraine, potentially in violation of US sanctions and export controls."

This follows the report from Ukraine last month, citing "intercepted audio communications" among Russian soldiers who claim about illegally using Starlink terminals in Russian-invaded regions in Eastern Ukraine.

Did SpaceX Violate US Sanctions for Alleged Russian Access?

This February, Musk clarified SpaceX and Starlink's side, stating that it is "false news reports" that claim SpaceX is selling Starlink terminals to Russia. He further stated that "no Starlinks have been sold directly or indirectly to Russia."

SpaceX's violation of the US sanction is still under investigation by Congress, but it is also in a gray area as Musk previously posted (via X) that "Starlink satellites will not close the link in Russia."

SpaceX Starlink and the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

In 2022, the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine took place, and this effectively shut down communications and internet access to the victim country, which caused global companies to step in. One of those is SpaceX and Starlink, and this move provided Ukraine with the power of satellite internet connections which offer massive access, with its Vice Prime Minister thanking the service.

However, there were massive controversies amidst this access, with one of the most controversial revealed by Walter Isaacson in his Elon Musk biography, claiming that the executive stopped a Ukrainian attack on Russia by temporarily shutting down Starlink access.

Moreover, it is known that the billionaire also stopped providing Ukraine free access to the satellite internet and asked the Pentagon to take over after expending $80 million of his resources on this.

In recent reports, both Russia's Kremlin and Musk denied the use of Starlink by Russian forces, claiming that both have no affiliations and that the technology was unused.

Still, there are speculations behind Starlink's link to Russia, now sending a letter to SpaceX regarding this, and is now investigating more behind, if the company violated the US sanctions imposed against the transcontinental aggressor.