Ukraine Restores Starlink Connection to Full Operational Levels

Ukraine has restored its military's connection to Starlink, returning to full operational speeds after ten days of restrictions. The Starlink terminals, made by SpaceX and managed by the US government, are crucial to Ukrainian military operations, and their sudden speed limits disrupted several combat missions earlier this month. The restrictions limited operations to 160km/h (99mph), hampering the military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and conduct operations behind enemy lines. Russia also benefited, as it was able to fire ballistic missiles with little advance warning from the US.

The speed limits coincided with Donald Trump's announcement of a US deal to buy Russian diesel. Initially, Trump denied that his administration was responsible for cutting intelligence sharing with Ukraine. However, Marco Rubio suggested that Elon Musk, who is SpaceX's chief executive, might be involved in the decision. Musk placed the responsibility on the US government, saying the systems are owned and controlled by it and that any limits are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. Vice-president JD Vance backed Musk, saying he does not want to get in the middle of a war between two state actors without the US government effectively directing him.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed both sides for the restrictions. He said the American government sent a message to limit the speed, and technically, SpaceX executed it. He noted that Starshield terminals in EU countries faced no similar restrictions, and this applied only to Ukraine. He warned that the decision would bring human losses. On Saturday, Zelenskyy announced the restoration of the system in a video address on Telegram and thanked US allies, including Trump and the State Department, for resolving the problem. He said Starlink and Starshield had resumed operating at their pre-restriction speeds, which are now at the level Ukraine needs. The restoration began overnight, and by morning, speeds were sufficient for operational use, which matters for frontline logistics and defending against jet-powered Shaheds.

The picture had been less clear earlier. On Thursday, Trump claimed the service was back at full speed, but a European official speaking to the Associated Press denied that it was fully functioning. Asked on Friday whether he would tell Musk to stop 'messing around' with Ukraine's access, Trump said he had not spoken to him but might have to. 'If there is a problem, I'll get it straightened out,' he said, before calling Musk 'very brilliant' and 'very good'.