Ukraine’s Starlink satellite communications and the Starshield defense system are operating at full speed again after more than a week of restrictions that hampered Ukrainian military operations and set off a dispute between Elon Musk and the Trump administration.
Ukrainian officials say the systems are essential for battlefield communications, drone operations and efforts to intercept Russian attacks. The limits, first reported on Oct. 14, reduced connectivity for equipment moving faster than roughly 100 mph. Officials said that disrupted some drone missions and made it harder to counter Russia’s increasingly fast attack drones.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield had resumed operations at their pre-restriction speeds and that those speeds were again at the level Ukraine needs. The Defense Ministry said its monitoring systems had recorded stable connections above 400 kilometers per hour, about 249 mph.
The restoration followed days of conflicting accounts over who imposed the limits on the systems developed by Musk’s SpaceX. Both Musk and the White House have denied responsibility. Musk has said Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government and that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. He has also said Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX, intended for civilian or defensive activities and not for offensive military action.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 21, citing anonymous US officials, that Musk was responsible for the squeeze. Reuters reported on Oct. 14, citing anonymous sources, that the White House ordered the Starlink slowdown. Administration sources told the New York Post that uncertainty remains over who ordered it. President Trump said on Oct. 22 that he had successfully pressured Musk to end any limitations, telling reporters that Musk “put it back.”
Ukraine began relying heavily on Starlink after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The network has since become a key communications tool for Ukrainian forces, including troops near the front lines. The restrictions showed how exposed those communications are to decisions involving a privately operated satellite network and a separate system controlled by the US government.