Ukrainian military satellite speeds return to normal after ten-day cap

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that the country's military satellite communications have been fully restored. In a video address on Telegram, he stated that Starlink and Starshield terminals are now operating at their pre-restriction speeds. The restoration began overnight, and by morning, connection speeds were sufficient for frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered Shahed drones. Zelenskyy thanked US allies, including President Donald Trump and the State Department, for resolving the issue.

The disruption lasted ten days, during which US government-managed satellite terminals capped data speeds at 160km/h, or 99mph. This limit caused several Ukrainian combat missions to fail earlier in the month. The restrictions specifically hampered the ability to intercept Russian attack drones and led to the cancellation of operations targeting assets behind enemy lines. Additionally, the speed cap prevented the US from providing advance warning when Russia fired ballistic missiles at Ukraine.

The timing of the restrictions coincided with Trump's announcement of a US deal to purchase Russian diesel. When asked if his administration was responsible for cutting intelligence sharing, Trump initially denied involvement. "I don't know if it was anybody, but it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon," Trump said, referring to SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported this view, stating that the president does not run the company and cannot direct its decisions regarding Starlink or Starshield.

Musk placed the responsibility on the US administration, writing on social media that the systems are owned and controlled by the US government. He noted that limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. Vice-president JD Vance backed Musk on Thursday, arguing that the billionaire did not want to mediate between state actors without effective US government direction.

Zelenskyy blamed both parties for the disruption. "It was a message from [the] American government to limit the speed," he said, "and technically, SpaceX did it." He pointed out that Starshield terminals in EU countries faced no similar restrictions, describing the decision as a planned operation that would bring human losses.

Conflicting reports emerged before the official confirmation of the fix. On Thursday, Trump claimed the service was back at full speed, but a European official denied this to the Associated Press. On Friday, Trump said he had not spoken to Musk but might have to if problems persisted. "If there is a problem, I'll get it straightened out," he said, before describing Musk as very brilliant and very good.