Ukraine Confirms Starlink and Starshield Speeds Return to 400 km/h

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that restrictions on Starlink and Starshield satellite systems were lifted by the morning of October 24. The restoration of bandwidth allows military units to regain the data speeds required for operational logistics and drone defense.

In a video address, Zelenskyy stated that the systems are now operating at the speeds they held before the restrictions were imposed. "Now we have the speed we need," he said. He noted that speeds began recovering overnight and reached the necessary level by morning. The president emphasized the impact on frontline logistics and the protection of Ukrainian positions from jet-powered Shahed drones.

Prior to the presidential announcement, Ukraine’s defence forces and Ministry of Defence experts recorded initial speeds exceeding 161 km/h. The Ministry of Defence subsequently issued an official confirmation that it was registering speeds above 400 km/h. Officials described the connection as stable during this period of recovery.

The recent disruption followed a period where equipment in several sectors along the line of contact operated at reduced speeds of 130 to 161 km/h. Zelenskyy previously indicated that this limitation interfered with military logistics and restricted the use of drones. The bandwidth issue also drew political attention on October 16, when US President Donald Trump stated that the White House had not been involved in limiting Ukraine’s use of the system.

Separate reporting from The Telegraph indicated that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had proposed the idea of restricting the bandwidth of the Starlink and Starshield networks used by the Ukrainian military to Trump. The current restoration marks the end of the temporary cap that affected military communications in recent days.