Khmara: Starlink Cap Lifted, Drones Back Above 400km/h

Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced on Saturday that Ukraine has regained stable access to the Starlink satellite internet network. The statement confirmed that military units can once again operate at speeds exceeding 400km/h, a threshold that indicates full capability has been restored to the system.

Khmara emphasized the practical impact of the change on the battlefield. "This result is above all important for our front, for our soldiers, for the operation of drones, for logistics and for communications," he said. The restoration resolves a period of restricted connectivity that forced Ukrainian forces to adjust their operational tempo.

The disruption occurred after Ukrainian officials accused US President Donald Trump of instructing Elon Musk to impose speed limits on the network. Under those restrictions, drones reportedly lost their connection when travelling at 161km/h or faster. While Trump initially denied giving such an order, he later stated that Musk had resolved the issue by putting the settings back.

Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink and its military-grade counterpart, Starshield, to pilot drones and coordinate operations, particularly in remote areas of the front lines. Musk has noted that Starshield is controlled by the US military, suggesting the Pentagon may have influenced the recent connectivity issues. The network consists of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites, though it does not function in Russian territory where the service is not authorized.

The technical dispute arose amid a wider diplomatic rift between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The tension centers on Ukrainian strikes against Russian oil infrastructure and US midterm elections scheduled for next month. Trump recently waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel, a move criticized by Kyiv and its European allies.

Zelensky claimed the US also threatened to withdraw intelligence sharing if the strikes on refineries did not stop, a claim Trump denied. The strikes have influenced global fuel prices, although analysts note that the Iran war is the primary driver of recent increases. Kyiv maintains that hitting these facilities is essential for reducing Moscow's war revenue, while Trump argues the attacks have pushed prices higher.

Combat continued on the ground during the connectivity restoration. Russia's defence ministry reported on Saturday that air defences shot down 616 fixed-wing drones, including in the Russian-annexed Crimea region, where local officials introduced electricity and water restrictions following power cuts. Ukrainian authorities said they struck a missile component manufacturer, a chemical plant, and an aircraft at a military airfield inside Russia over the previous 24 hours.