Ukrainian Defense Minister Confirms Satellite Speeds Return to 250 mph
Ukraine regained full Starlink and Starshield capacity for drones after a week-long disruption that hindered front-line operations.
By Thomas Obasi ·
Ukraine has regained full access to Starlink and Starshield satellite connections for its military hardware, Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced on Saturday. The restoration lifts speed restrictions that Ukrainian officials said impeded front-line operations for more than a week.
Khmara stated that Defense Ministry monitoring systems now show stable connections for objects moving faster than 250 mph. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that checks verified both the standard Starlink service and SpaceX's military-grade Starshield were operating at correct speeds. Zelenskyy noted that the restoration began the previous night and that sufficient speeds were available by morning.
Zelenskyy described the return of full speeds as vital for front-line logistics and defense against Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia. He said, "Now the speed is what we need. The restoration began last night, and in the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use this connection. This is very important."
Commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the week of restricted speeds. Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for resolving the issue. He emphasized that the fix matters most for the work of drones, logistics, and communications at the front. Zelenskyy thanked American partners for taking the situation seriously.
The technical fix occurs as U.S. envoys push to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with the United States and Ukraine next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. First Lady Melania Trump brokered the truce.
The satellite outage strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. Tensions had already risen over a reported deal between President Donald Trump and Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Trump has said he did not order the interruptions and that Elon Musk should not be blamed for the issue.
Ukraine has relied on the satellite internet system built by Musk's company for years to counter Russian attacks. Questions remain over who ordered the interruptions to the service last week.
