Ukraine Reports Full Restoration of Starlink Speeds After Ten Days

Ukrainian officials confirmed this week that military units have regained a stable connection to the Starlink satellite network. This announcement marks the end of a ten-day period during which the system faced sudden speed caps that severely disrupted combat efforts. The government stated that the link is now functional and reliable for frontline use.

The disruption began abruptly earlier this month when the terminals, managed by the US government despite being manufactured by SpaceX, were limited to 160 kilometers per hour. This restriction prevented the military from effectively intercepting Russian attack drones. Consequently, several planned operations to strike targets behind enemy lines had to be canceled. Additionally, the US lost the ability to provide advance warning when Russia launched ballistic missiles, leaving Ukraine vulnerable without early alert systems.

The timing of the speed limits coincided with President Donald Trump announcing a deal to purchase Russian diesel. Initially, Trump denied that his administration was responsible for the reduced intelligence sharing. He stated that he did not believe the decision came from him or from Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to shift blame toward Musk later that week. Rubio argued that the president does not run the company and therefore cannot direct its technical decisions.

Musk countered by placing responsibility on the US government, noting in a post on X that the systems are owned and controlled by Washington. He asserted that the US military, and ultimately the president, decides on usage limits. Vice-president JD Vance supported this view, suggesting that Musk does not wish to intervene in a conflict between two state actors without explicit government direction. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized both sides, arguing that the US government sent the message to limit speed and that SpaceX executed it technically. He pointed out that terminals in EU countries were unaffected, labeling the move a planned operation that risked human lives.

The situation reached a turning point on Saturday when Zelenskyy used a video address to announce the system's restoration. He thanked US allies, including the State Department and President Trump, for resolving the issue. According to the Ukrainian president, both Starlink and Starshield services have returned to their previous operational speeds. He noted that the fix began overnight and was sufficient for morning operations, which is critical for logistics and defending against jet-powered Shahed drones.

Prior to this confirmation, the status of the service remained unclear. On Thursday, Trump claimed the service was back at full capacity, but a European official told the Associated Press that it was not yet fully functioning. When asked on Friday if he would instruct Musk to stop interfering with Ukraine's access, Trump said he had not spoken to the billionaire but might need to. He expressed confidence that he would straighten out any remaining problems, describing Musk as very brilliant and very good.

With the connection now stable, the immediate pressure on Ukrainian military planning has eased. The focus shifts to how this episode affects future coordination between the US and Ukraine regarding satellite communications. For now, the restored speeds allow for the operational tempo that commanders require on the ground.