Starshield speeds return to 400 km/h for Ukrainian military drones
The restoration of high-speed satellite links follows a two-week period of restrictions that disrupted drone operations and triggered diplomatic friction between Kyiv and Washington.
By Karim Graham ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on October 24 that the Starshield satellite communications system has returned to its previous operational speed, ending a two-week period of restrictions that limited military capabilities.
Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara stated that monitoring data shows equipment moving faster than 400 kilometers per hour, or 250 mph, has regained full connectivity. Prior to this restoration, a Ukrainian official reported that satellite links were dropping at approximately 161 kilometers per hour, or 100 mph. This speed cap prevented jet-powered Shahed drones and other interceptors from maintaining reliable connections during high-speed maneuvers.
Khmara attributed the resolution to direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's persistent stance. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to the president, suggested the limits may be linked to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington, although no formal connection has been established. The Trump administration has denied that the president or any US government official requested the changes. Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX developed Starshield, maintains that the US government controls the military service, with decisions on speed ultimately resting with President Donald Trump.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump called Musk earlier this week to urge the lifting of restrictions. When asked about the matter, Trump declined to elaborate but stated, "if there is a problem, I will get it straightened out." Lawmakers from both parties in the US Congress have demanded details on who authorized the speed changes and are seeking guarantees of reliable access for Ukraine.
The restrictions emerged during a period of diplomatic strain. In the past two weeks, Trump announced a deal encouraging Russian diesel exports and waived sanctions scheduled to take effect under a law he signed last month. He also urged Kyiv to pause attacks on Russian oil refineries. Zelenskyy initially considered a pause but declared Ukraine was done with unilateral stops after Putin ordered continued strikes.
Combat operations continued through the night. Ukrainian air defense forces reported shooting down 100 of 130 Russian drones. Attacks on 15 locations resulted in at least two deaths. Ukrainian forces struck two industrial facilities in Russia, including a component factory in Oryol and a rubber production plant in Togliatti that supplies solid rocket fuel.
Most of Russian-occupied Crimea lost electricity in the early hours of October 24. Cities including Simferopol, Sevastopol, and Kerch experienced near-total connectivity losses. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed head of the occupation administration, blamed the outage on a drone attack affecting power lines outside the peninsula. Ukrainian monitoring channels reported a fire at the Taman electrical substation in Russia's Krasnodar region, which supplies Crimea via the Kerch Strait.
Source: RFE/RL
