USAID failed to monitor uses of Musk's Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine

15/8/2025 6:24

The U.S. Agency for International Development did not monitor the uses of 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine, with nearly half of the operational units ending up in areas fully or partly held by Moscow, according to a report by the agency's internal watchdog.



USAID's inspector general found that the agency failed to keep track of the terminals of Elon Musk's satellite internet service because it had accepted a higher risk of misuse due to "the complex wartime environment" and Ukraine's urgent need for them.



"As a result, USAID did not know where the terminals were or how they were used," said the report dated August 11 that was reviewed by Reuters.



In response, USAID said it was impractical to track the terminals once they were handed to Ukraine because of the dangerous wartime conditions and the "unprecedented emergency" created by Russian strikes on communications systems.