The Starshield satellite communications system has regained its operating speed, Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, following restrictions that had disrupted Ukrainian drone operations against Russian forces.
Starshield is a military-focused satellite communications service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which also operates the commercial Starlink network. Ukraine relies heavily on the systems for battlefield communications and defense against Russian air attacks.
“The connection is stable,” Khmara said, adding that the Defense Ministry’s monitoring systems had recorded restored connectivity on equipment traveling at speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour (250 mph).
Khmara described the restoration as another example of how “direct dialogue and the Ukrainian president’s persistent stance” can deliver results important for Ukrainian troops, drone operations, logistics, and communications.
“The Defense Ministry continues to monitor and document the operation of Starlink/Starshield,” he added.
The announcement on October 24 followed nearly two weeks of reported restrictions that prevented some Ukrainian drones and other equipment from maintaining satellite connections at higher travel speeds.
As recently as October 23, sources in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry told RFE/RL that connections were still being lost at speeds of around 161 kilometers per hour (100 mph). The sources, who were familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly, said there was no confirmation at the time that the restrictions had been lifted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said on October 23 that the speed restrictions remained in effect.
The disruptions, first reported around October 13-14, affected a system that Ukrainian forces rely on to operate drones against Russian targets and intercept incoming Russian attack drones.
Questions remain over who imposed the restrictions. Musk has said that Starshield systems are controlled by the US government and that decisions about restrictions on their speed or use are made by the military and ultimately the president.
Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskyy on defense technology, suggested that the restrictions were connected to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington, although that link has not been established.
Trump and his administration have denied ordering the restrictions. Speaking on October 23, Trump said that “if there is a problem, I will get it straightened out.”
On October 22, The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Trump had called Musk and urged him to lift the Starshield speed restrictions. According to the report, satellite communications began functioning more reliably after their conversation, although full functionality had not yet been restored.
The restrictions also prompted scrutiny in the US Congress, where Democratic and some Republican lawmakers demanded answers about who authorized the changes and called for guarantees that Ukraine would retain reliable access to the systems.
Reports of the restrictions emerged around the time Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel supplies to global markets. Trump also called on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Discussion about this post