Ukraine reports Starlink restored at high speeds
According to Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, Starlink and Starshield are again operating reliably at high speeds after more than a week of restrictions.
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Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield are again functioning for the military at high speeds. The Defence Ministry reports working connections at speeds above 400 kilometres per hour, while stressing that performance continues to be monitored.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevheniy Khmara said on Saturday that his ministry’s monitoring systems were once again recording speeds above 400 kilometres per hour. According to him, the connection is stable. The equipment is used by the Ukrainian armed forces and on fast-moving drones.
This appears to indicate that a restriction reported by Ukraine since mid-October has been eased. According to Reuters, connections had previously been limited to about 160 kilometres per hour or less. As a result, some military drones and logistics systems are thought to have encountered problems when moving faster.
The Ukrainian government did not disclose the systems’ maximum speed and did not say that all technical problems had been definitively resolved. The ministry continues to test the connections to determine how complete the restoration is.
Starlink is SpaceX’s commercial satellite network. Starshield is the military version of that technology. Ukraine has been using both systems for some time for communications, logistics and support for military operations at the front.
The issue has taken on a political dimension because it remained unclear who was responsible for the restrictions. According to Reuters, SpaceX owner Elon Musk and the US government had previously indirectly indicated each other as possible decision-makers. Neither has publicly confirmed ordering the restriction.
The new Ukrainian report therefore primarily means that, according to Kyiv, the technical performance has improved. It does not prove who imposed the earlier restriction, nor does it say whether Ukraine will retain full access permanently.
For Ukraine, the development matters because satellite communications form part of its military infrastructure. At the same time, the incident highlights its dependence on a commercial service whose technical and political conditions lie outside Kyiv.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Ukraine reports that Starlink and Starshield are once again functioning above 400 kilometres per hour.
- The systems are used for communications, logistics and military applications.
- The cause of and authority for the earlier restriction have not been publicly clarified.
Left
Arguments A commercial company should not be able to decide independently how a country at war accesses essential communications. Strategic infrastructure should be subject to public control and international agreements.
Values Democratic oversight, public responsibility and protection of an attacked country.
Consequences Greater government control could reduce dependence, but would require substantial public investment and international coordination.
Centre
Arguments Satellite services can be useful, but governments should arrange alternatives, transparency and emergency procedures in advance. Ukraine and its allies should combine technical cooperation with clear contractual safeguards.
Values Continuity, legal certainty and institutional oversight.
Consequences A multi-layered communications strategy would make military and civilian systems more robust, but would cost time and money.
Right
Arguments A private provider should be able to protect its technology and set conditions for military use. States cannot expect a commercial company to become an unrestricted party to a war.
Values Ownership, freedom of contract and national responsibility.
Consequences Giving companies more freedom could accelerate innovation, but would also leave countries vulnerable when a service is suddenly restricted or terminated.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The reported improvement in speed and the remaining uncertainty are confirmed by Ukrainian sources and independent reporting. Claims about the precise cause and full access have explicitly not been presented as established facts.
- confirmed Ukraine reports Starlink and Starshield speeds above 400 kilometres per hour. — Reported by Ukraine’s Defence Ministry and confirmed as a report by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed Ukraine describes the connection as stable. — Statement by Minister Yevheniy Khmara, published by Ukrinform. source
- confirmed The earlier restrictions lasted more than a week and hindered military applications. — Reported by Reuters and AP on the basis of Ukrainian statements. source
- confirmed It has not been established who imposed the earlier restriction. — Reuters reports that SpaceX and the US government have not acknowledged responsibility. source
Editor's note
The reported restoration is based on Ukrainian measurements and has been reported by AP and Reuters. Independent confirmation of full availability and of the cause of the earlier restriction is lacking.Sources
- Ukraine says Starlink speed limits lifted after a slowdown that hobbled its drones — Associated Press
- Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield operating at 400 kph after week of throttling — Reuters via Investing.com
- Khmara: Starlink and Starshield speeds above 400 km/h have resumed — Ukrinform
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „oekraïne starlink”
- NU.nl — „oekraïne starlink”
- De Telegraaf — „oekraïne starlink”