Satellite Links: Ukraine Returns to Full Military Speeds

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on the morning of 24 October that speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield satellite systems were fully lifted. In a video address, he stated that both networks had returned to their previous operational levels, restoring the bandwidth required for military operations.

Zelenskyy explained that data speeds began recovering overnight and reached necessary thresholds by morning. He identified the restoration as vital for frontline logistics and for countermeasures against jet-powered Shahed drones.

Before the presidential statement, Ukraine’s defence forces and Ministry of Defence experts recorded the systems functioning at speeds exceeding 161 km/h. The Ministry subsequently issued an official confirmation, noting that registered speeds had surpassed 400 km/h and that the connection remained stable.

The return to full capacity ended a period of disruption that affected several sectors along the line of contact. Days earlier, Zelenskyy reported that equipment was operating at reduced speeds between 130 and 161 km/h. He noted that this slowdown interfered with supply chains and limited the military's ability to deploy drones effectively.

The bandwidth limitations also prompted political discussions in Washington. On 16 October, US President Donald Trump asserted that the White House was not involved in limiting Ukraine's use of the satellite infrastructure. Separately, The Telegraph reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had proposed restricting the bandwidth of these networks to the Trump administration.