Ukraine says military Starlink speeds restored after 10-day restriction
Ukraine's government says its military Starlink connection is stable again after speed limits capped terminals at 160km/h and disrupted missions for ten days.
The story in focus
Ukraine's government said its military Starlink connection is stable after speed restrictions capped terminals at 160km/h and disrupted combat and drone-interception missions for ten days. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said pre-restriction speeds resumed overnight. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US officials disputed who imposed the limits; Musk said Ukraine violated service terms.
- Ukraine's government announced a stable military Starlink connection 10 days after sudden speed restrictions.
- The restrictions capped terminal operations at 160km/h (99mph), causing several combat missions to fail.
- Drone interception was hampered and some strikes behind enemy lines were cancelled.
- Zelenskyy said Starlink and Starshield returned to pre-restriction speeds overnight.
- Musk accused Ukraine's military of violating Starlink terms by using it for offensive drone strikes.
Restrictions and restoration
Ukraine's government said its military has a stable Starlink connection, 10 days after speed restrictions disrupted operations. The caps limited terminals to 160km/h (99mph), causing several combat missions to fail earlier this month. The military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones was hampered and some operations to strike behind enemy frontlines were cancelled.
In a video address on Telegram, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Starlink and Starshield resumed operations at pre-restriction speeds overnight. By morning, speeds were sufficient for operational use, which he described as important for frontline logistics and defence against jet-powered Shahed drones.
Dispute over responsibility
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Ukraine's military violated Starlink's terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes, and that the loophole was closed last week. Neither Musk nor the US government, which operates Starshield using Starlink technology, took responsibility for imposing the curbs.
Zelenskyy blamed both parties, saying the US government sent a message to limit speed and SpaceX carried it out technically. He said similar restrictions did not apply to Starshield terminals in EU countries and applied only to Ukraine. Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said Ukraine is physically unable to use Starlink for long- and medium-range attack drone operations.
How fast were Ukraine's military Starlink terminals capped during the restrictions?
The terminals were capped at speeds of 160km/h (99mph), according to The Guardian. The restriction lasted 10 days before Ukraine's government said pre-restriction speeds resumed overnight.
Sources & further reading
- Ukraine’s military says Starlink satellite connection stable after recent restrictions ↗The Guardian
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