Ukrainian Military Regains 250 mph Drone Speeds After Starlink Limits Lift

Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced on Saturday that the military has restored full access to Starlink satellite connections for its drones and other fast-moving equipment. The update resolves speed restrictions that Ukrainian officials stated disrupted front-line operations for more than a week.

Khmara told reporters that the Defense Ministry's monitoring systems now show stable connections for objects moving at speeds exceeding 250 mph. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that technical checks verified both Starlink and Starshield, the military-grade version of the service, are running at the required speed. Zelenskyy noted that the restoration process began the previous night and that sufficient speeds were available by the following morning.

"Now the speed is what we need," Zelenskyy said. "The restoration began last night, and in the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use this connection. This is very important." The President emphasized that the restored service is vital for front-line logistics and for protecting Ukraine from reactive Shahed drones, which are Iranian-made aircraft that Russia launches regularly.

The sudden restrictions on Starshield last week caused alarm among Ukrainian military and government officials. Commanders reported lost drones and disrupted missions during the period of limited connectivity. Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for the resolution. He stated that the fix mattered most for the military, drone work, logistics, and communications.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Americans and all partners who took the situation seriously and assisted in the resolution. The restoration arrives as U.S. envoys push to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. Additionally, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on Friday to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. First Lady Melania Trump brokered that truce.

The satellite episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington. The relationship had already been strained by President Donald Trump's reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, a move Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Questions remain about who ordered the interruptions to the system built by Elon Musk's company. Ukraine has relied on this satellite internet for years to counter Russian attacks.

Trump has maintained that he did not make the call to limit speeds, though he also said Musk should not be blamed for the disruption.