Ukraine satellite speeds hit 250 mph after week of slow links
President Zelenskyy says Starlink and Starshield are back to normal, ending a period where caps at 100 mph hurt drone operations and logistics.
By Adewale Fletcher ·
Ukraine’s satellite internet is running at full speed again.
The country announced Saturday that Starlink and the Starshield military network returned to pre-restriction performance after more than a week of disruptions. Defense Ministry monitors confirmed connectivity holding above 250 miles per hour. Before the slowdown, speeds were capped near 100 miles per hour. The ministry said the lower rates hampered drone interceptions and disrupted active missions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X that the restoration began overnight. He called the return to normal speeds the most important development of the day. Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara credited the fix to direct dialogue by Zelenskyy. He said the outcome matters most for front-line troops, drone operations, logistics, and communications. Zelenskyy thanked American members of Congress, the State Department, and President Trump for their roles.
The cause of the initial slowdown created friction between Washington and Kyiv. Ukrainian officials told NBC’s Meet the Press they believed the U.S. government was behind the limits. They said SpaceX acted on a message from the American government. Elon Musk wrote on X on Oct. 14 that Starshield is owned by the U.S. government. He noted that speed limits are decided by the U.S. military and President Trump. The Trump administration has denied interfering with Ukraine’s access to the system. Trump told reporters Friday he would not say who ordered the restrictions. He also called Musk a fair person who never does anything wrong.
Starlink is central to Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion. The network supports drone operations, front-line communications, and the transport of food and water to soldiers. Zelenskyy said the service also helps protect against Iranian-made Shahed drones used by Russia.
The speed restoration arrives as the U.S. pushes for peace talks. Russia agreed to a trilateral meeting with Ukraine and the United States next month. The two sides also agreed to a localized ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied southern city. The White House said First Lady Melania Trump brokered the deal, which includes humanitarian aid and civilian evacuation amid a food crisis in the area.
Fighting continued elsewhere on Saturday. Ukraine attacked a chemical plant in the Russian city of Tolyatti. A Russian drone struck a residential building in Kyiv’s Obolon District and started a fire.
