Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield speeds are restored after 10-day cap

Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Oct. 24 that Starlink and Starshield speeds have been restored after a cap of about 160 km/h (100 mph) that lasted about 10 days. In an unsigned statement, the ministry said: "Connectivity remains stable at movement speeds of more than 400 km/h."

Defense Minister Khmara says the connection is stable

"We are recording a speed of over 400 km/h. The connection is stable," Defense Minister Evhenii Khmara told reporters, according to Reuters. A separate paragraph on the ministry's page, signed by Khmara, says the result shows how "direct dialogue and the persistent stance of the President of Ukraine at the highest level deliver results," and that it matters most for the front line, drone operations, logistics and communications. The ministry said it will keep monitoring Starlink and Starshield.

Zelensky says the speeds are where they need to be

President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X that "operations have been restored to the speeds we had before the restrictions. The speeds are now where they need to be." He said the restoration began overnight and that speeds were already sufficient by the morning.

The cap lasted about 10 days

The limit began on the night of Oct. 13-14 and ended on the morning of Oct. 24, about 10 days by the Wall Street Journal's count. AP and Reuters describe it as more than a week. Ukrainian officials and commanders say the cap disrupted drone operations: Reuters reports that officials said it hampered the military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced some operations to be cancelled, and AP reports that commanders described lost drones and disrupted missions. Some terminals reportedly fell below the cap, to about 72-90 km/h, according to Interfax-Ukraine and CBS.

Musk says Ukraine violated Starlink's terms; Ukraine denies it

In a post on X on Oct. 24, Elon Musk wrote: "Using Starlink, a civilian commercial service, for offensive drone strikes to kill people has never been allowed, nor should it be." He added: "Starshield, a different system, is controlled by the US government. What they decide to do is up to them." And: "Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people. That loophole was closed last week." That is Musk's claim, and his post does not mention the speed cap or say who closed the loophole. Ukrainian officials deny it. Former Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Sternenko called it "not true," and presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov says commercial Starlink terminals in Ukraine are capped at 70-90 km/h.

Who ordered the cap is still disputed

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials, that Musk imposed the limits and that Trump called Musk on Oct. 21 and asked him to lift them. Reuters reports that neither Musk nor the U.S. government has acknowledged responsibility, while AP's headline read Musk's post as an admission that SpaceX throttled the service. AP also reports that Trump has said he did not make the call, and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have denied any administration involvement.

Trump says he has spoken to Musk

Asked on Saturday whether he had spoken to Musk about the Ukraine situation, Trump said: "I have, yeah." Asked to say more, he said: "No, I can't."

Sources: Ukraine Ministry of Defence (https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/starlink-and-starshield-speed-restored-in-ukraine), AP (https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-starlink-drones-a3a0139dfc23365550306dd66fe43daa), Kyiv Independent (https://kyivindependent.com/starshield-operations-restored-above-400-km-h-ukraines-defense-ministry-says/), Elon Musk on X (https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2114063986744275011), Volodymyr Zelensky on X (https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/2113990281322221932)