Ukraine's defense minister said Saturday that Starlink satellite links have been restored to full operational capacity, following a period of restricted speeds that had hampered the country's military communications and drone operations.
Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara told reporters that the ministry's monitoring systems now record stable connections for objects moving faster than 250 miles per hour, a key threshold for military use. "The Ministry of Defence's monitoring systems are recording a return to normal speed for Starlink/Starshield," Khmara said, according to Reuters. "We are recording a speed of over 400 kph. The connection is stable."
Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade version of Starlink, has been critical to Ukraine's battlefield connectivity, supporting drone operations, logistics, and secure communications. The restoration follows days of tension between Kyiv and Washington over the Trump administration's recent policy shifts toward Russia, including a reported diesel deal and a decision to postpone sanctions on Moscow.
Khmara credited the change to "direct dialogue" between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Trump administration, emphasizing that the outcome matters most "for our front, for the military, the work of drones, logistics and communications."
The announcement came after Zelensky had publicly complained on Friday that Starlink and Starshield speeds were still capped at around 100 mph, a restriction that severely limited their effectiveness. "The speed limits on Starlink and Starshield are still there, and the speed has not been restored," Zelensky said at the time.
Earlier that day, President Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn that he had not spoken with SpaceX leader Elon Musk about the issue but said he "might have to" if the problem persisted. The president's remarks added to concerns among lawmakers and analysts about the reliability of commercial satellite services for national security operations.
The restoration comes as Russia has agreed "in principle" to resume three-way negotiations with Ukraine and the United States, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign affairs adviser. Talks are expected to restart after Nov. 10, a development that follows Trump's embrace of Putin, which Zelensky warned could endanger Ukrainians in their ongoing war against Russia.
In a separate development, the White House announced Friday that first lady Melania Trump helped secure a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the front-line city of Oleshky, set to begin Thursday. The ceasefire is intended to "allow for humanitarian aid to enter and to prepare a civilian evacuation through a designated safe passageway," according to the White House.
The restoration of Starlink speeds is a significant relief for Ukrainian forces, who rely heavily on satellite connectivity for real-time battlefield awareness and coordination. The earlier restrictions had raised questions about the reliability of Starlink for national security, with some critics arguing that dependence on a private company leaves Ukraine vulnerable to political whims.
While the immediate crisis appears resolved, the episode underscores the fragility of Ukraine's technological lifelines and the complex interplay between military needs, corporate interests, and international diplomacy.
