Ukraine says Starlink speed restored to normal after weeks of limits
Ukraine's defence ministry said Starlink and Starshield connections returned to full speed on Saturday after a weeks-long slowdown hampered drone operations.
Also in:Українська
Ukraine's defence ministry said on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield satellite connections had returned to full speed, after weeks of restrictions that Kyiv said had hampered drone operations against Russian forces.
Monitoring systems recorded speeds above 400km/h with a stable connection, Defence Minister Ievgen Khmara said in a statement carried by Ukrainska Pravda.
The restriction, which began in mid-October, had slowed Ukrainian drone operations well below the speed needed for many used to shoot down Russian attack drones, according to Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant.
It was not immediately clear who had ordered the slowdown. SpaceX and the US government denied giving the instruction, while Ukraine suspected a link to a separate diesel deal between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A presidential adviser, Dmytro Litvin, said the restriction remained unresolved as of Friday, before the defence ministry's Saturday announcement that full speed had returned.
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What we know
- 1 outlet · ANSA Ukraine's defence ministry said Starlink/Starshield speeds returned above 400km/h and were stable.
- 1 outlet · ANSA The restriction began in mid-October and had limited drone operations.
- 1 outlet · ANSA SpaceX and the US government denied ordering the slowdown.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Who ordered the restriction in the first place.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Starlink and its military version Starshield are central to how Ukraine's military coordinates drone strikes and defends against faster Russian jet-powered attack drones, so a prolonged slowdown had left Ukraine less able to intercept these threats.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 2 countries.
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Why had Starlink been restricted in Ukraine?
- SpaceX reduced connection speeds for Ukraine's military from mid-October for reasons that remain unclear.
- What speed did the connection return to?
- Ukraine's defence ministry said it recorded speeds above 400km/h with a stable connection.
- Who denied ordering the slowdown?
- SpaceX and the US government both denied giving the instruction to restrict the service.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.