Ukraine Reports Restored Stability for Starlink and Starshield Satellite Networks

Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced on Saturday that connectivity for Starlink and Starshield has stabilized after more than a week of performance throttling.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported that monitoring systems are now recording speeds of more than 400 km/h, which Khmara described as a return to normal capability. This development follows a period of significant disruption where connection speeds were reportedly limited to roughly 160 km/h or less. According to France 24, the military does not disclose the maximum operating speeds of these systems and has not officially confirmed if the service is fully restored.

The network issues, which first emerged around October 14, impacted the Ukrainian military's ability to pilot drones and maintain frontline logistics. Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that SpaceX introduced these speed limits overnight without any prior warning, leading to the disruption of several military missions. BBC News reported that the restrictions specifically caused drones to lose connection when traveling at high speeds.

The service disruption triggered a diplomatic dispute involving Kyiv, SpaceX owner Elon Musk, and U.S. President Donald Trump. While Ukraine accused the U.S. administration of directing Musk to limit the network, Trump denied the claim and stated that Musk had since restored the service. Both Musk and the U.S. government have avoided taking responsibility for the throttling; Musk suggested the Pentagon might be behind issues with the military-grade Starshield, while Reuters reported that the order to throttle the system came from within the White House.

President Zelenskyy also noted that the U.S. had reportedly threatened to withdraw intelligence sharing unless Ukraine halted strikes on Russian oil refineries. Following a press conference with Nordic leaders, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude that intelligence services were again functional, emphasizing their importance for providing early warnings of incoming ballistic missiles to civilians.

Background

The satellite network, consisting of roughly 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites, has been essential for Ukrainian operations in remote battlefield areas. Tensions recently escalated after President Trump waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel, while criticizing Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure for impacting global fuel prices.