WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon’s watchdog is refusing a bipartisan request to investigate recent disruptions to Starlink and Starshield satellite internet service to Ukraine, raising concerns among lawmakers that the military and even its independent inspector general are reluctant to confront the influence that SpaceX chief Elon Musk has over defense communications.

A bipartisan group of senators asked the Pentagon inspector general to investigate after Ukrainian officials reported this month that their connection speeds were being throttled to the Musk-made Starlink service and its military-grade version, Starshield.…