Starlink speeds for Ukraine return to 160km/h cap-free levels

Ukrainian authorities confirmed that military satellite communications have returned to full capacity, ending a ten-day period of restricted speeds. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the restoration on Saturday in a video message on Telegram, stating that Starlink and Starshield systems are now operating at pre-restriction levels sufficient for frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered drones.

The restrictions capped terminal speeds at 160km/h (99mph), a limit that Ukrainian officials said caused several combat missions to fail earlier this month. The slowdown hindered the military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and led to the cancellation of operations targeting assets behind enemy lines. Additionally, the limits meant Russia could launch ballistic missiles at Ukraine without receiving advance warning from the United States.

The dispute over the speed limits coincided with US President Donald Trump's announcement of a deal to purchase Russian diesel. Trump initially denied that his administration ordered the reduction in intelligence sharing with Ukraine. "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 defended Trump last Wednesday, directing suspicion toward Musk. "The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr Musk," Rubio said, noting that the president does not directly run the company. Musk countered on X last week, stating that the systems are "owned and controlled by the US government" and that limits are decided by the US military and the president.

Vice-president JD Vance backed Musk on Thursday, saying the billionaire prefers not to mediate between two state actors without explicit direction from the US government. Zelenskyy, however, blamed both parties for the disruption. "It was a message from [the] American government to limit the speed," Zelenskyy said, "and technically, SpaceX did it." He emphasized that the restrictions applied only to Ukraine, as Starshield terminals in EU countries remained unaffected.

Zelenskyy described the incident as a "planned operation" that carried the risk of human losses. While Trump claimed on Thursday that service had returned to full speed, a European official told the Associated Press that the system was not yet fully functioning. On Friday, Trump said he had not yet spoken to Musk but might have to if the problem persisted, calling the SpaceX chief "very brilliant" and "very good".

The restoration began overnight, and Zelenskyy reported that speeds were sufficient for operational use by Saturday morning. The government thanked US allies, including the State Department and Trump, for resolving the issue. The return to full speeds is critical for maintaining the flow of data required for modern defensive operations in the ongoing conflict.