Ukraine Reports Full Restoration of 160km/h Satellite Speed Cap After Ten-Day Halt

Ukrainian authorities confirmed on Saturday that military satellite communications have returned to full capacity, ending a ten-day period of restricted speeds that disrupted combat operations. The government stated that the connection to the Starlink network is now stable, with speeds matching the levels required for frontline logistics and defense against jet-powered drones.

The disruption began ten days ago when speed limits were imposed on Starlink terminals, capping operational velocity at 160km/h. These restrictions, which applied specifically to Ukraine while Starshield terminals in European Union countries continued to function normally, caused several combat missions to fail. The limits hindered the Ukrainian military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of operations targeting assets behind enemy lines. Additionally, the speed cap prevented the US from providing advance warning when Russia fired ballistic missiles at Ukraine.

The timing of the restrictions coincided with President Donald Trump's announcement of a US deal to purchase Russian diesel. Trump initially denied that his administration orchestrated the cut in intelligence sharing. "I don't know if it was anybody, but it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon," Trump said, referring to SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this position on Wednesday, stating that the president does not run the company and cannot direct its operations. He noted that decisions regarding Starlink and Starshield are made by Mr. Musk, not the White House.

Musk placed the responsibility on the US government, writing on X that the systems are owned and controlled by the state and that speed limits are decided by the US military and the president. Vice-president JD Vance supported Musk on Thursday, explaining that the billionaire prefers not to mediate between state actors without direct government instruction. In response, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assigned blame to both parties. "It was a message from [the] American government to limit the speed," Zelenskyy said, "and technically, SpaceX did it." He described the move as a planned operation that carried the risk of human losses.

The situation became clearer on Friday when Trump suggested he might need to instruct Musk to stop "messing around" with Ukraine's access. Trump said he had not yet spoken to the SpaceX chief but would straighten out any problems. He characterized Musk as "very brilliant" and "very good." A European official had previously denied to the Associated Press that the service was fully functioning, contradicting Trump's earlier claim on Thursday that speeds had already recovered.

Zelenskyy addressed the restoration in a video message on Telegram, thanking US allies, including Trump and the State Department, for resolving the issue. He stated that Starlink and Starshield resumed pre-restriction speeds overnight. By Saturday morning, the speeds were sufficient for operational use, allowing the military to resume standard defensive and offensive procedures.