Ukraine Defense Ministry Confirms 400 km/h Satellite Speeds After Restrictions Lifted
President Zelenskyy announced the return of full bandwidth for Starlink and Starshield on 24 October, following days of reduced connectivity that hampered military operations.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence confirmed on 24 October that satellite internet speeds have recovered to above 400 km/h. The agency stated that the connection is now stable across the systems used by the armed forces.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the restoration in a video address on the same morning. He said, "Starlink and Starshield are back to operating at the speeds they were capable of before these restrictions were imposed. Now we have the speed we need." The president noted that connectivity began improving overnight and reached necessary levels by daybreak.
Military experts cited the return of full speed as vital for frontline logistics and for countering jet-powered Shahed drones. Prior to the restoration, defense forces recorded speeds between 130 km/h and 161 km/h in several sectors along the line of contact. Zelenskyy previously stated that these lower speeds interfered with supply chains and limited the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The technical disruption prompted political questions in Washington. On 16 October, US President Donald Trump asserted that the White House was not involved in the bandwidth limitations. Meanwhile, The Telegraph reported that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had proposed restricting the satellite networks to the US president.
The Ministry of Defence issued its official data after the presidential remarks. The agency verified that the systems were registering the higher speeds required for active military operations.
