Starlink speeds restored to full capacity in Ukraine
Elon Musk confirmed SpaceX throttled the network for seven days, while Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a localized ceasefire in Kherson.
By Kwame Silva ·
Ukraine regained full access to its satellite internet infrastructure after a week of reduced speeds. Elon Musk confirmed on Saturday that SpaceX ordered the slowdown, a move that disrupted military operations on the front lines.
The restoration of bandwidth was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who stated that speeds returned to normal overnight. By Saturday morning, the system was operating at full capacity. Zelenskyy noted that the improvement supported logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.
Musk defended the restriction by arguing that Starlink is a civilian commercial service. He wrote that using it for offensive drone strikes violated the terms of service. The company closed that loophole last week to prevent such usage.
Ukrainian commanders reported that the speed limits caused lost drones and disrupted missions. The restrictions affected Starshield, the military-grade version of the system. Musk maintained that the U.S. government, not SpaceX, controlled changes to Starshield. This clarification addressed concerns among Ukrainian officials who feared a shift in Washington's support.
The technical fix arrived during a new phase of diplomatic activity. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with the U.S. and Kyiv next month. Additionally, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on Friday to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky in the Kherson region. U.S. First Lady Melania Trump brokered that specific truce.
The episode strained relations between Kyiv and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not make the decision to cut speeds, but he also stated that Musk should not be blamed. Vice-President JD Vance suggested the White House coordinated with Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied administration involvement.
Military operations continued on the ground. A missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others. Ukrainian forces struck a chemical plant in Tolyatti and an electronics plant in Oryol. Three people died in the Oryol attack. Drones also reached the Omsk region, where they hit a logistics center for the retailer Ozon with no casualties reported.
