Ukraine said Saturday, October 24, that Starlink and its military counterpart, Starshield, had returned to normal operating speeds after more than a week of restrictions that disrupted military operations and heightened tensions with the United States.
The restoration follows complaints from Ukrainian officials that the limitations impaired drone interception capabilities and forced the cancellation of some military operations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the SpaceX-operated systems began returning to normal speeds overnight, restoring connectivity to levels required by Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine's Defence Ministry confirmed that monitoring systems recorded stable connections at operating speeds exceeding 400 kilometres per hour, compared with the previous restriction threshold of approximately 160 kilometres per hour.
The Ukrainian military has not disclosed the systems' maximum operating speeds, leaving the precise technical limits unclear.
Starlink remains essential for frontline communications, while Starshield supports military operations involving medium-range attack drones in Russian-occupied territories.
Ukrainian forces have used Starshield-enabled drones to gain advantages in several battlefield areas this year.
However, Ukraine does not depend on either system for long-range drone strikes inside Russia, including attacks targeting oil refineries.
The restrictions emerged after President Donald Trump announced an agreement to purchase Russian diesel while urging Kyiv to halt attacks against Russian oil infrastructure.
Their timing intensified concerns in Ukraine, particularly because the limitations coincided with disruptions to allied warnings about incoming Russian missile attacks.
Ukrainian authorities subsequently confirmed that American intelligence sharing continued.
Neither Elon Musk nor the US government has publicly accepted responsibility for imposing the restrictions.
Both have maintained that decisions affecting the services would fall under the other's authority.
Reuters previously reported that the directive to restrict Starshield originated within the White House, although responsibility remains publicly disputed.
Trump said Friday that he would address any continuing problems, despite previously indicating that the services had already been restored.
The restoration eases an immediate operational constraint on Ukrainian forces, while questions surrounding the restrictions and Washington's involvement remain unresolved.