Starlink restored to full speed in Ukraine after week of throttling

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 12:32 · Archive

Ukraine says Starlink and its military version Starshield have returned to normal operating speeds after more than a week of restrictions.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield were operating at full speeds again after restrictions that disrupted military operations for over a week. The ministry announced on Telegram that 'connectivity remains stable at speeds exceeding 400km/h'.

Ukrainian officials said the throttling hampered the military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations. When the restrictions were in place, Ukraine experienced problems operating at speeds above 160km/h. Starlink is vital for frontline communications, whilst Starshield is used for military operations in occupied territories.

The restrictions coincided with US President Donald Trump announcing a deal to buy Russian diesel whilst pressing Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries, intensifying tensions between Ukraine and the US. The limitations also coincided with disruptions to allied warnings about incoming Russian missile attacks, though Kyiv said it continued to receive US intelligence.

Neither Elon Musk nor the US government has acknowledged restricting the services. Both have said publicly that any such decision could only have been made by the other. Reuters reported that the order to throttle Starshield came from inside the White House. Trump said on Friday that if problems persisted, he would 'get it straightened out'.

How it is being reported

• Starlink back to normal after throttling: UkraineThe speed of Starlink's communications is at regular speeds, Kyiv says, ending restrictions that officials said had disrupted operations for more than a week.The West Australian · 24 Oct, 12:06
• Starlink back to normal after throttling: UkraineThe speed of Starlink's communications is at regular speeds, Kyiv says, ending restrictions that officials said had disrupted operations for more than a week.Perth Now · 24 Oct, 12:06

In this story: Ukraine · Elon Musk · SpaceX · Donald Trump · Russia · Starlink

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