Ukraine Restores 250 mph Drone Speeds After Starlink Limits

Ukraine's military has recovered full access to high-speed Starlink satellite connections for its drones, ending a week of restrictions that hampered operations near the Russian border. Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced the return to normal service on Saturday, stating that monitoring systems now show stable links for equipment moving faster than 250 mph. The resolution follows a period where commanders reported lost drones and interrupted missions due to the throttled speeds.

The speed limits began more than a week ago, creating immediate friction between Kyiv and Washington. Ukrainian officials argued the reduced bandwidth disrupted front-line logistics and weakened defenses against Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that checks verified both the commercial Starlink service and the military-grade Starshield were operating at the correct speeds. He noted that the restoration started the previous night, with sufficient speeds available by morning.

"Now the speed is what we need," Zelenskyy said. "The restoration began last night, and in the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use this connection. This is very important." He emphasized that the restored service is critical for protecting Ukraine from reactive attacks and maintaining supply lines.

The incident occurred as U.S. envoys pushed for a diplomatic breakthrough in the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with the United States and Ukraine next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow reached a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the southern Kherson region. That truce was brokered by First Lady Melania Trump. The satellite dispute added to existing tensions in the alliance, which were already strained by President Donald Trump's reported agreement with Moscow on Russian diesel imports.

Khmara attributed the fix to direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomatic efforts with the White House. He stated that the stable connection matters most for the military's drone operations, logistics, and communications. Zelenskyy thanked American partners for taking the issue seriously. While Trump maintained he did not order the interruptions, he also said that Elon Musk should not be blamed for the disruption to the system Ukraine has relied on for years.

The satellite service, built by Musk's company SpaceX, has been a cornerstone of Ukraine's defense infrastructure. The restoration of full speeds allows the Ukrainian military to resume its standard operational tempo. The next step in the diplomatic track is the resumption of three-way talks scheduled for next month, where the impact of recent military adjustments may be discussed alongside the ceasefire in Kherson.