Starshield Speeds Return to 400 km/h for Ukrainian Military
Kyiv confirms satellite links are back to full speed after a two-week slowdown that hampered drone operations.
By Lucas Collins ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on October 24 that Starshield satellite speeds have returned to normal.
He stated on Telegram that the change is very important for frontline logistics and for defending against jet-powered Shahed drones. Zelenskyy said the speed is now where it needs to be. Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara told RFE/RL that monitoring recorded restored connectivity on equipment moving faster than 400 kilometers per hour. This matches the previous standard for the military-focused service developed by SpaceX.
A Ukrainian official said the day before that links were still dropping at about 161 kilometers per hour. That lower speed sharply limited Ukraine's defenses and stopped drone interceptors from holding connections. Khmara credited direct dialogue and the president's persistent stance for the fix. The reported restrictions lasted nearly two weeks.
Who imposed the limits remains unclear. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, suggested a link to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington. No such link has been established. The Trump administration denies that the president or anyone in the US government requested changes. Elon Musk has said the government controls Starshield, with decisions made by the military and ultimately by President Donald Trump.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Trump called Musk and urged him to lift the restrictions. After that call, communications became more reliable. Trump declined to comment when asked but said, if there is a problem, I will get it straightened out. Lawmakers from both parties have demanded to know who authorized the changes and want guarantees of reliable access.
Ukraine's air defense forces said they shot down 100 of 130 drones launched by Russia overnight. Attacks on 15 locations killed at least two people. Ukraine's General Staff said its forces hit two industrial facilities and a military airport in Russia. One facility in Oryol makes components for cruise and ballistic missiles. The other in Togliatti produces rubber products used in solid rocket fuel.
Most of Russia-occupied Crimea lost electricity in the early hours of the day. NetBlocks recorded an almost complete loss of connectivity. Russian-installed authorities said mobile service reached only 40 percent of the area. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed head of the occupation administration, blamed a disruption to main power lines outside Crimea from a drone attack. Ukrainian monitoring channels reported a fire at the Taman electrical substation in Russia's Krasnodar region.
Source: RFE/RL
