The Starlink satellite communications and its Starshield defense system in Ukraine are back to full speed after more than a week of disruptions that hampered Ukrainian military operations and sparked a blame game between Elon Musk and the Trump administration.
The systems are critical to Ukraine’s battlefield communications, drone operations and efforts to intercept Russian attacks.
The restrictions, first reported Oct. 14, limited connectivity for equipment traveling faster than roughly 100 mph, disrupting some drone missions and complicating efforts to counter Russia’s increasingly fast attack drones, Ukrainian officials said.
“The main thing for today is that Starlink and Starshield have resumed operations at their pre-restriction speeds. The speeds are now at the level we need,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram Saturday.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said its monitoring systems had recorded stable connections at speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour, or about 249 mph.
The restoration followed days of conflicting accounts over who imposed the restrictions on the satellite systems developed by Musk’s SpaceX. Both Musk and the White House have denied responsibility.
Starlink is SpaceX’s commercial satellite internet service, while Starshield is a military-focused system owned and controlled by the US government, according to Musk.
“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote on X on Oct. 14.
He separately defended SpaceX’s handling of Starlink, saying the commercial service was intended for civilian or defensive activities and should not be used for offensive military action.
“Starlink is a commercial service owned and controlled by SpaceX. Usage of Starlink is limited to civilian or defensive activities and cannot be used for offensive military action, as doing so would be inappropriate for a commercial company,” the tweet concluded.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 21 that Musk was responsible for the squeeze, citing anonymous US officials. A conflicting report from Reuters on Oct. 14 said the White House ordered the Starlink slowdown, citing anonymous sources.
Administration sources told The Post that there is continued uncertainty about who ordered the slowdown.
President Trump said he successfully pressured Musk to end any limitations.
“The bottom line: he put it back,” Trump told reporters of Musk on Oct. 22.
Ukraine began relying heavily on Starlink after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The satellite network has since become a key communications tool for Ukrainian forces, including troops operating near the front lines.
The restrictions exposed the vulnerability of Ukraine’s military communications to decisions involving a privately operated satellite network and a separate system controlled by the US government.
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