Ukraine Warupdated 51m ago3 min read
Ukraine Restores Starlink And Starshield Speed After More Than Week Disruption
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Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield speeds back to pre-restriction levels after a week of disruptions. Trump announced lifting restrictions, but Ukrainian officials say some limits remain.
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Starlink speed restored
Ukraine’s military regained full use of Starlink satellite links for drones and other fast-moving equipment after more than a week of disruption, with Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara saying monitoring systems reported stable connections on objects traveling faster than 250 mph. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said checks were conducted and it was determined Starlink and Starshield were running at the correct speed, adding, "Now the speed is what we need." Zelenskyy said the restoration began last night and that by the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use the connection, calling it "very important" for front-line logistics and for protecting Ukraine from reactive 'Shaheds.'
CBS News reported that the disruption had alarmed Ukrainian officials and commanders, who said lost drones and disrupted missions followed the speed restrictions placed on Starshield and Ukraine’s drone operations and communication. Russia agreed Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month, while Kyiv and Moscow also agreed to a localized ceasefire brokered by first lady Melania Trump around Oleshky in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.
Who ordered the limits
Donald Trump said he does not wish to comment on a Wall Street Journal report alleging he had contacted Elon Musk to lift the restrictions, but he added, "The important thing is that he has restored the service." Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking on October 22, said the speed of the satellite communications has not yet returned to pre-restriction levels and explained, "The speed has not reached 400 kilometers per hour." DW said restrictions imposed from mid-October 2026 on satellite communications services used by the Ukrainian army disrupted drone missions and affected the Ukrainian forces’ ability to operate drones and counter Russian attacks.
DW said Reuters reported on October 15 that the order to restrict Starshield had been issued from within the White House, while the Wall Street Journal identified Elon Musk as responsible for the slowdown. RFE/RL reported that Musk said Starshield systems are controlled by the government, with decisions on restrictions to their speed or use made by the military and ultimately Trump, while the US administration denied that anyone in the US government requested changes.
Frontline stakes and attacks
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said its monitoring systems were recording a return to normal speed for Starlink and Starshield, and it said it was recording a speed of over 400 kph while also saying the connection is stable. Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on October 24 that the speed is now where it is needed for frontline logistics and for protecting Ukraine against jet-powered Shahed drones, adding, "The speed is now where we need it to be." RFE/RL said the disruptions left Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian air attacks, which Moscow launched with increasing frequency, causing significant damage to Ukraine’s logistics, energy, and civilian infrastructure.
On October 24, Ukraine’s air defense forces said they had shot down 100 of the 130 drones Russia launched overnight, and the attacks struck 15 locations across the country, killing at least two people. The episode also fed tensions between Kyiv and Washington, as Reuters reported that the order to throttle Starshield came from inside the White House while Trump said on Friday that if problems with access persisted, he would "get it straightened out."