Ukraine Resumes Full Starlink Speeds for Military

Ukraine's military has regained the ability to operate Starlink satellite connections at full speeds for drones and other fast-moving equipment. The restoration of service was confirmed on Saturday by Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara, who stated that monitoring systems were tracking stable connections for objects traveling above 250 mph. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy verified that both the standard service and Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade version, were operating at the necessary speeds.

The week-long interruption of high-speed connectivity had a direct impact on front-line operations. Military commanders reported losing drones and facing disrupted missions during the period when these restrictions were in place. The service is essential for logistics and for protecting the nation against Shaheds, the Iranian-made drones that Russia regularly launches.

Zelenskyy said the restoration process began on Friday night. He reported that by the following morning, speeds were sufficient for the system to be used. “Now the speed is what we need,” Zelenskyy said. “The restoration began last night, and in the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use this connection. This is very important.”

The resolution of the connectivity issue follows a series of recent diplomatic developments. On Wednesday, Russia agreed to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow reached a localized ceasefire agreement for Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the Kherson region, which was brokered by first lady Melania Trump. The episode had previously added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by President Donald Trump's reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports.

Questions regarding who ordered the interruptions to the satellite internet service, which Ukraine has relied on for years to counter Russian attacks, remain. President Trump has stated that he did not make the decision while also noting that Musk should not be blamed for the situation.

Defense Minister Khmara credited “direct dialogue” and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for the outcome. He said the restoration matters most “for our front, for the military, the work of drones, logistics and communications.” Zelenskyy thanked Americans and “all our partners, who took all this seriously and are really helping us.”