USAID Faces Criticism for Losing Track of Over 5,000 Starlink Terminals in Ukraine

USAID's internal watchdog reported that the agency lost track of 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine, with almost half ending up in Russian-controlled regions. The watchdog concluded that USAID failed to "fully mitigate" the risk of terminal misuse, and more than half of the "active" units were located in territories fully or partially occupied by Russia.

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2025 — The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has faced criticism from its internal watchdog for failing to monitor the use of 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine. The report, released on August 11, 2025, revealed that nearly half of the operational terminals ended up in areas fully or partly held by Moscow [1].

The watchdog concluded that USAID did not adequately mitigate the risk of misuse due to the complex wartime environment and Ukraine's urgent need for connectivity. As a result, USAID could not account for the location or usage of the terminals [1]. In response, USAID stated that tracking the terminals was impractical due to dangerous wartime conditions and the need to restore critical life-saving connectivity for public services [1].

The report did not examine Ukraine's use of the terminals for military operations, including drone flights, artillery targeting, and communications. However, the lack of monitoring has raised concerns about potential misuse of the terminals by Russian forces or Ukrainian military units [1].

The findings highlight the challenges faced by USAID in providing humanitarian aid during active conflicts. The agency's primary objective was to restore connectivity for critical public services, such as healthcare, municipal emergency shelters, and local governance [1]. The report did not examine the impact of the terminals' misplacement on these services or the broader conflict.

In a separate development, Russia announced the destruction of Ukrainian missile production facilities known for producing Sapsan missiles, funded by Germany. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed that the covert operations were carried out to neutralize Ukraine’s offensive capabilities and prevent the development of longer-range projectiles [2]. The destruction of these facilities comes amid rising tensions and just before a pivotal summit in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump [2].

These developments underscore the complex and evolving nature of the conflict in Ukraine and the challenges faced by international aid agencies in providing assistance during wartime conditions.

References:
[1] Reuters. (2025, Aug 14). USAID failed to monitor uses of Musk's Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine, says watchdog. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/usaid-failed-monitor-uses-musks-starlink-terminals-sent-ukraine-says-watchdog-2025-08-14/
[2] The Economic Times. (2025, Aug 13). Russia says destroyed Ukraine's Sapsan missile production facilities funded by Germany. Retrieved from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/russia-says-destroyed-ukraines-sapsan-missile-production-facilities-funded-by-germany-just-hours-before-putin-trump-meeting/articleshow/123301765.cms