Ukraine confirms satellite speeds return to 400 km/h after two-week cap
President Zelenskyy stated the restoration supports drone operations, while the Kremlin continued strikes on Crimea and other targets.
By David Almasi ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on October 24 that the Starshield satellite communications system has returned to its full operational speed. He noted on Telegram that the change is vital for frontline logistics and for intercepting jet-powered Shahed drones. The announcement ended a period of restrictions that had limited military connectivity for nearly two weeks.
Defense Minister Yevheniy Khmara told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that Kyiv's monitoring systems recorded restored connectivity on equipment moving faster than 400 kilometers per hour. This speed, equivalent to 250 mph, allows drone interceptors and other fast-moving assets to maintain stable satellite links. Khmara attributed the fix to direct dialogue and the president's persistent stance on the issue.
The restrictions previously caused satellite links to drop when equipment exceeded approximately 161 kilometers per hour. A Ukrainian official familiar with the matter reported the day before the restoration that this speed cap sharply limited Ukraine's defensive capabilities. The Starshield service, developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX, complements the company's commercial Starlink network. Ukraine relies heavily on both systems for military communications.
The exact origin of the speed limits remains unclear. Serhiy Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, suggested a connection to recent tensions between Kyiv and Washington. However, no formal link has been established. The Trump administration denies that the president or any member of the US government requested the changes. Elon Musk has stated that the government controls Starshield, with speed decisions made by the military and ultimately by President Donald Trump.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Trump called Musk to urge him to lift the restrictions. Following that call, communications became more reliable. Trump declined to comment directly on the matter but said that if a problem exists, he would get it straightened out. Lawmakers from both parties in Congress have demanded to know who authorized the changes and want guarantees of reliable access for Ukraine.
The initial reports of limited access emerged during a period of concern over other US policy moves. In the past two weeks, Trump announced a deal encouraging Russian diesel exports and waived sanctions set to take effect under a law he signed last month. He also urged Kyiv to pause attacks on Russian oil refineries, citing high diesel prices. Zelenskyy was initially open to a pause, but after Putin ordered continued strikes, he stated that Kyiv was done with unilaterally pausing attacks.
Fighting continued overnight across the front. Ukrainian air defense forces reported shooting down 100 of the 130 drones launched by Russia. Attacks on 15 locations resulted in the deaths of at least two people. Ukraine's General Staff said its forces struck two industrial facilities and a military airport in Russia. One target in Oryol, located 350 kilometers southwest of Moscow, manufactures components for cruise and ballistic missiles. The other facility in Togliatti produces rubber products, a key component of solid rocket fuel.
Most of the Russian-occupied Crimea lost electricity in the early hours of October 24. The outage affected Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, Kerch, and Feodosia. NetBlocks recorded an almost complete loss of internet connectivity in the region. Russian-installed authorities stated that mobile service reached only 40 percent of the area and suspended public electric transport in Sevastopol. Water arrived sporadically at low pressure.
Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed head of the occupation administration, blamed the outage for a disruption to main power lines outside Crimea. He said the disruption resulted from a drone attack. Ukraine has not yet commented on the cause, which has not been independently confirmed. Ukrainian monitoring channels reported a fire at the Taman electrical substation in Russia's Krasnodar region, which supplies power to Crimea via the Kerch Strait.
