Ukraine satellite links hit 400 km/h as speed caps vanish

Ukraine’s military satellite communications have returned to full capacity after a brief period of throttling. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on 24 October that restrictions on Starlink and Starshield were lifted by the morning.

In a video address, Zelenskyy stated that the systems are operating at pre-restriction speeds. "Now we have the speed we need," he said. He noted that recovery began overnight and reached levels sufficient for military operations by early morning. The restored bandwidth is essential for frontline logistics and for countering jet-powered Shahed drones.

Technical data confirms the rapid improvement. Before the presidential statement, defence forces and Ministry of Defence experts recorded both systems functioning above 161 km/h. The Ministry subsequently issued an official confirmation that speeds exceeded 400 km/h and that the connection remained stable.

The disruption lasted only a few days. Zelenskyy previously reported that equipment in several frontline sectors was limited to speeds between 130 and 161 km/h. This reduction hindered logistics and constrained Ukraine’s ability to deploy drones effectively.

The bandwidth limits also triggered political discussion. US President Donald Trump claimed on 16 October that the White House was not involved in limiting Ukraine’s use of the satellite systems. However, The Telegraph reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had proposed restricting the bandwidth to Trump.

The restoration marks the end of the temporary caps that affected military communications. The Ministry of Defence continues to monitor the network to ensure stability across all operational sectors.