Ukraine has reported a restoration of normal speeds on SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield satellite communication systems after a week of restrictions that Ukrainian officials said had disrupted military operations.
Kyiv relies on Starlink’s civilian satellite network and the military-focused Starshield system to support frontline communications, drone operations and logistics as it defends against Russian missile and drone attacks.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevgeniy Khmara said monitoring systems had recorded a recovery in connection speeds, with performance exceeding 400 kilometres per hour, while connectivity remained stable.
He said the restoration was particularly important for troops on the front lines, enabling drone operations, logistical support and military communications. Khmara added that service recovery had begun overnight and credited President Volodymyr Zelensky’s firm position on the issue.
Zelensky also confirmed that both systems had returned to the speeds available before the restrictions were imposed. He said the improved connectivity was crucial for frontline logistics and for protecting Ukraine against Russian attack drones.
The restrictions had reportedly limited operations at speeds of around 160 kilometres per hour, hampering Ukrainian forces’ ability to intercept incoming drones and forcing the cancellation of some military operations.
The Starlink network has become a point of contention between Ukraine and the United States. Zelensky had criticised Washington over what he described as inadequate warnings about incoming Russian missile strikes and restrictions that weakened Ukraine’s military response.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he would speak with SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk if Ukraine was experiencing problems with the communications system. Trump also said Musk had restored access.
Musk, whose position on Ukraine has shifted at various points since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, has maintained that any disruption to the services was the responsibility of the US government rather than SpaceX.
The reported technical problems emerged amid wider tensions over US policy towards the conflict. Trump had announced a deal involving the purchase of Russian diesel while pressing Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Ukrainian officials said the restrictions affected military drone interception and other operations. Although Ukraine does not depend on Starlink for long-range drone attacks on Russian territory, the network remains essential for communications along the front lines.
The use of Starshield-enabled medium-range attack drones has also contributed to Ukraine’s battlefield operations in several areas this year.
The restrictions triggered criticism in Ukraine, particularly as they coincided with disruptions affecting allied warnings about incoming Russian missile attacks. Kyiv later said it continued to receive intelligence from the United States.
Neither Musk nor the US government has publicly accepted responsibility for imposing the restrictions on Starlink and Starshield in Ukraine. Both sides have indicated that such a decision would have been made by the other.
