Ukraine's satellite speeds return to full capacity

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on 24 October that restrictions on Starlink and Starshield satellite systems were lifted by morning. He stated that the networks are now operating at the speeds they held before the limitations began. This restoration allows military units to maintain the data rates required for frontline operations.

Zelenskyy said speeds began recovering overnight and reached necessary levels by dawn. He cited the return to full capacity as vital for logistics and for defending against jet-powered Shahed drones. The president thanked those who assisted in restoring communications during the disruption.

Data from the Ministry of Defence confirms the technical improvement. Experts recorded both systems moving at speeds above 161 km/h prior to the final update. The ministry later verified that connections stabilized at speeds above 400 km/h. These figures indicate the infrastructure has returned to its pre-disruption baseline.

The disruption affected several sectors along the line of contact. Zelenskyy reported that equipment previously operated at reduced speeds between 130 and 161 km/h. This limitation interfered with supply chains and constrained the use of military drones in the field.

Political attention focused on the cause of the slowdown. US President Donald Trump stated on 16 October that the White House was not involved in limiting Ukraine's use of the system. The Telegraph reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk approached Trump with the proposal to restrict the bandwidth used by Ukrainian forces.