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Satellite Internet

Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield now running above 400 km/h as minister confirms restoration

Ukraine's Defence Minister Yevhen Khmara said on Saturday that monitoring systems recorded Starlink and Starshield operating above 400 km/h with a stable connection, the first minister-level confirmation that the speed restrictions on Ukraine's military satellite links have lifted.

By Sarah Whitfield · · 1 min read

Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said on Saturday morning that Starlink and Starshield satellite terminals were operating at speeds above 400 kilometres per hour, with a stable connection — the first minister-level confirmation that the speed restrictions hobbling Ukraine’s military satellite links have lifted.

Defence Minister Yevhen Khmara told reporters that the ministry’s monitoring systems had recorded speeds of more than 400 km/h. “We are recording speeds of over 400 km/h; the connection is stable,” he said, adding that the result was “above all, vital for our front line, for our military personnel, for the operation of drones, and for logistics and communications.”

Earlier on Saturday, ministry sources told Ukrinform and Interfax-Ukraine that defence forces had begun recording Starlink and Starshield operating above 161 km/h, the cap that had applied in recent weeks. The ministry said it continues to monitor and test the systems at higher speeds to establish the upper limit and determine how fully service has been restored.

The restrictions had limited Ukraine’s military since mid-October. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Starlink and Starshield equipment had stopped working at speeds of 130 to 161 km/h in various sectors of the front, disrupting logistics and limiting drone use. As recently as Friday, presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said the restrictions remained in place, despite US President Donald Trump’s claim on 22 October that SpaceX chief Elon Musk had restored unrestricted access. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had ordered Musk on 21 October to lift the restrictions.

Nobody has publicly taken credit — or blame — for imposing or lifting the caps.

Sources

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