Ukrainian Defense Minister Confirms Restoration of Full Satellite Speeds

Ukraine's Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced on Saturday that the military has regained full access to Starlink satellite connections for drones and other high-speed equipment. The confirmation marks the end of speed limitations that Ukrainian officials said hindered front-line operations for over a week.

Khmara stated that monitoring systems within the Defense Ministry now show stable connections for objects traveling faster than 250 mph. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that verification checks confirmed both the commercial Starlink service and the military-grade Starshield network were functioning at correct speeds.

Zelenskyy noted that the restoration began the previous night. By the following morning, speeds were sufficient for standard use. He described the return of full bandwidth as very important for front-line logistics and for defending against Shahed drones, the Iranian-made aerial vehicles Russia frequently launches.

During the period of restricted speeds last week, Ukrainian commanders reported lost drones and interrupted missions. The temporary limits on the military-grade Starshield service caused alarm among government and military leaders who rely on the system for rapid communication and data transmission.

The resolution arrives as U.S. envoys pursue a new diplomatic effort to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. Additionally, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on Friday to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in Ukraine's Kherson region. First Lady Melania Trump brokered that specific truce.

Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with Washington for the outcome. He emphasized the impact on military drones, logistics, and communications. Zelenskyy thanked American officials and other partners for taking the issue seriously and providing assistance.

Questions remain regarding who ordered the interruption of the satellite system built by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Trump has said he did not make the decision but also stated that Musk should not be blamed. The relationship between Kyiv and Washington had already been strained by Trump's reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.