Starshield speeds return to 400 km/h for Ukrainian drones

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on October 24 that the Starshield satellite system is operating at full speed again.

The service, which supports military communications, had been restricted for nearly two weeks, limiting data transfer rates to 161 kilometers per hour. Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara stated that monitoring equipment now records connectivity at 400 kilometers per hour, or 250 mph. This restoration allows drone interceptors and other fast-moving assets to maintain stable links during combat.

Zelenskyy described the change as very important for frontline logistics and the defense against jet-powered Shahed drones. He noted on Telegram that the speed is now where it needs to be. Khmara attributed the fix to direct dialogue and the president's persistent stance, though the specific party that imposed the earlier limits remains unclear.

Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, suggested the restrictions were linked to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington. The Trump administration denies that the US government requested the changes. Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX develops Starshield, said the government controls the system, with decisions made by the military and ultimately by President Donald Trump.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump called Musk to urge him to lift the restrictions. When asked about the issue, Trump said, if there is a problem, I will get it straightened out. Lawmakers in the US Congress have demanded to know who authorized the changes and seek guarantees of reliable access for Ukraine.

The disruption coincided with other US moves that Ukraine and its allies view as beneficial to Russia. In the past two weeks, Trump announced a deal encouraging Russian diesel exports and waived pending sanctions. He also urged Kyiv to pause attacks on Russian oil refineries, blaming them for high diesel prices rather than reduced flows from the Middle East conflict.

Fighting continued overnight with mixed results. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 100 of 130 Russian drones. At least two people died in attacks on 15 locations. Ukrainian forces struck two industrial sites in Russia, including a missile component factory in Oryol and a rubber producer in Togliatti. Most of occupied Crimea lost electricity, with Russian authorities blaming a drone attack on power lines outside the peninsula.