Zelenskyy confirms Starlink and Starshield speeds back to normal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that full speed limits on Starlink and Starshield satellite systems were lifted by the morning of October 24. The restoration allows military units to regain the data bandwidth previously used for frontline logistics and drone defense.

The recovery began overnight, with speeds rising to necessary levels by the start of the day. Zelenskyy stated in a video address that the systems were operating at pre-restriction capabilities. He emphasized that the return to normal speed was essential for protecting positions against jet-powered Shahed drones.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the technical recovery with specific metrics. Officials reported that connections were registering stable speeds above 400 km/h. Earlier assessments by defence forces had recorded speeds above 161 km/h before the official ministry confirmation was issued.

The disruption began a few days prior when equipment in several sectors along the line of contact slowed to between 130 and 161 km/h. Zelenskyy noted that this reduction interfered with supply chains and limited the country's ability to deploy drones effectively during the pause.

Political questions emerged during the outage regarding the source of the restrictions. On October 16, US President Donald Trump claimed the White House was not involved in limiting Ukraine's use of the networks. The Telegraph reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had proposed the bandwidth limits to Trump.

Zelenskyy thanked those who helped restore communications in his address. The president described the speed recovery as very important for current military operations. The confirmed stability of the links marks the end of the brief technical disruption.