Ukraine Regains High-Speed Satellite Links After Two-Week Pause
President Zelenskyy confirmed that Starshield speeds returned to 400 km/h, restoring drone capabilities that were limited to 161 km/h for nearly a fortnight.
By Chloe Zhao ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on October 24 that satellite communication speeds have returned to their previous levels.
The restoration of the Starshield system ended a two-week period of restrictions that had impaired military operations. Zelenskyy described the change as very important for frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered Shahed drones. He stated the speed is now where we need it to be.
Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara told RFE/RL that monitoring equipment recorded restored connectivity at speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour. This capability allows drone interceptors and other fast-moving units to maintain stable satellite links. Previously, links were dropping at approximately 161 kilometers per hour, a limit that sharply reduced defensive effectiveness.
Khmara attributed the fix to direct dialogue and the Ukrainian president's persistent stance. The exact authority behind the initial limits remains unclear. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, suggested a connection to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington, though no formal link has been established.
The Trump administration denies that the president or anyone in the US government requested the changes. Elon Musk stated that the government controls Starshield, with speed and usage decisions made by the military and ultimately by President Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump called Musk to urge him to lift the restrictions after communications became unreliable.
Trump declined to comment on the specific incident but said if there is a problem, I will get it straightened out. Lawmakers from both parties in Congress have demanded to know who authorized the changes. They are seeking guarantees of reliable access for Ukraine.
The initial access limits arrived amid concerns over other US moves. Trump announced a deal encouraging Russian diesel exports and waived sanctions that were set to take effect under a law he signed last month. He also urged Kyiv to stop hitting Russian oil refineries, blaming those attacks for high diesel prices rather than reduced Middle East energy flows during the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Zelenskyy first appeared open to a pause in strikes but said Kyiv was done with pausing unilaterally after Putin ordered strikes on Ukraine to continue. Fighting persisted overnight, with Ukrainian air defense forces shooting down 100 of 130 drones launched by Russia. Attacks on 15 locations killed at least two people.
Ukraine's General Staff reported that its forces hit two industrial facilities and a military airport in Russia. One facility in Oryol makes components for cruise and ballistic missiles, while the other in Togliatti produces rubber products for solid rocket fuel. Most of Russia-occupied Crimea lost electricity in the early hours of the day, affecting Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, Kerch, and Feodosia.
NetBlocks recorded an almost complete loss of connectivity in the region. Russian-installed authorities said mobile service reached only 40 percent of the area and public electric transport was suspended in Sevastopol. Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed head of the occupation administration, blamed a disruption to main power lines outside Crimea caused by a drone attack. 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
