Ukraine’s Starlink Satellite Speeds Return to Normal
?s government said Starlink and its military version, Starshield, were operating at pre-restriction speeds after more than a week of disruption. President…
After more than a week of limits that disrupted military operations, Ukraine’s government said Starlink and Starshield had returned to their pre-restriction speeds. The restoration matters to Ukrainian forces relying on the satellite connections for frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered attack drones.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said speeds for both systems began returning to normal overnight. Ukraine’s defense ministry confirmed on Saturday that the connection remained stable at over 400 kilometers per hour.
“The main thing for today is that Starlink and Starshield have resumed operations at their pre-restriction speeds. The speeds are now at the level we need,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.
“This is crucial. This really matters: for our frontline logistics, for defending Ukraine against jet-powered 'Shaheds,'” he added.
The earlier restrictions capped speeds at 160 kilometers per hour, according to Ukrainian officials. They said the limit hampered the military’s ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations.
For Ukrainian forces, the change affects more than connection speed: Kyiv says the restored service supports logistics near the front and efforts to counter aerial attacks. The source report did not detail which operations were canceled or how many were affected.
Starlink is operated by SpaceX, the rocket company owned by Elon Musk. Its military version is called Starshield. The slowdown also sharpened tensions between Kyiv and Washington, with Ukrainian officials questioning US support over intelligence sharing.
Who ordered the restrictions remains unclear
The cause of the slowdown has not been established. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the week that US officials believed Musk had acted unilaterally in capping the speeds at which Ukrainian hardware could connect to the satellite network. The report also said officials indicated US President Donald Trump had not specifically ordered retribution against Kyiv.
Musk disputed that account, saying “any limits to speed or usage” of Starshield were “decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.” Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied that the Pentagon directed any changes.
The competing statements leave responsibility unresolved, even as service has returned to the level Kyiv says it needs. Zelenskyy said the restored speeds matter for frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered “Shaheds.”
Source: dw.com
