KYIV, Oct 24 (Reuters) – The Starlink satellite communications system and its military version Starshield are operating again at speeds over 400 km per hour, Kyiv’s defence minister said on Saturday, after over a week of service restrictions that slowed connections and disrupted military operations.
“The Ministry of Defence’s monitoring systems are recording a return to normal speed for Starlink/Starshield. We are recording a speed of over 400 kph. The connection is stable,” Evhenii Khmara told reporters.
The Ukrainian military does not disclose the systems’ maximum operating speeds, and the defence ministry did not say whether service had been fully restored.
“Monitoring systems had previously recorded disruptions to the Starlink/Starshield service. The speed metrics have now returned to normal,” the ministry said.
The restrictions, first reported on October 14, undermined Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian attack drones and disrupted frontline communications, Ukrainian officials said. Sources said connection speeds had been reduced to about 160 kph or less.
Ukraine’s problems with SpaceX-owned Starlink came after US President Donald Trump announced a deal to buy Russian diesel and waived new sanctions on Moscow while pressing Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries.
Neither SpaceX boss Elon Musk nor the US government has acknowledged responsibility for restricting Starlink or Starshield in Ukraine. Both have said publicly that any such decision could only have been taken by the other.
Reuters has reported that the order to throttle Starshield came from inside the White House.
Trump said on Friday that if problems with access to Starlink communications systems in Ukraine persisted, he would “get it straightened out”.
(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk, writing by Yuliia DysaEditing by Ros Russell)
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