Zelenskyy Confirms Starlink Speeds Return to 400 km/h
The Ukrainian president stated that satellite bandwidth restrictions were lifted by the morning of October 24, restoring full military connectivity.
By Alina Carter ·
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on October 24 that bandwidth limits on Starlink and Starshield satellite systems were removed. In a video address, the Ukrainian president said the networks returned to their pre-restriction capabilities by that morning.
Zelenskyy stated, “Starlink and Starshield are back to operating at the speeds they were capable of before these restrictions were imposed. Now we have the speed we need.” He noted that speed recovery began overnight and reached levels suitable for military operations by morning.
The president emphasized the impact on frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered Shahed drones. He described the restored speeds as vital for maintaining effective communication and drone usage along the line of contact.
Ukrainian defense experts initially recorded speeds above 161 km/h before the formal announcement. The Ministry of Defence later confirmed that it was registering stable connection speeds above 400 km/h, marking a full return to previous performance levels.
The disruption had affected several sectors, where equipment previously operated between 130 and 161 km/h. Zelenskyy had earlier reported that these lower speeds interfered with military logistics and limited drone capabilities during the period of restriction.
The issue also drew political attention earlier in the month. On October 16, US President Donald Trump stated that the White House was not involved in limiting Ukraine’s use of the satellite systems. Reports from The Telegraph indicated that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had proposed restricting the bandwidth of the networks used by the Ukrainian military.
