Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield high speed restrictions have been lifted
Ukraine says restrictions on Starlink and Starshield have been lifted, restoring connectivity to fast-moving military systems after disruptions.
Key points
- Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Saturday that high-speed service for SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield systems has been restored.
- Ukrainian officials had accused SpaceX since Oct. 14 of imposing speed limits that cut connections for drones traveling above 100 mph.
- U.S. lawmakers from both parties have called for a formal probe into Musk and SpaceX over alleged unilateral service changes in Ukraine.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Saturday that high-speed service has been restored for SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield satellite communication systems, one day after saying the services remained throttled. Ukrainian officials said the disruption left the country vulnerable to Russian attacks.
The ministry said its monitoring systems now officially record the restoration of speed. It added that the connection remains stable while equipment is moving at speeds over 400 km/h (249 miles per hour).
Dispute over speed limits
Since Oct. 14, Ukrainian officials have accused Elon Musk's SpaceX of undermining the country's defenses by imposing speed limits on Starshield, the military-grade version of Starlink. Officials said drones traveling above 100 mph lost their connection, disrupting some missions.
Starlink is SpaceX's commercial satellite internet network, while Starshield is its government operations arm built on Starlink technology. SpaceX did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Things have become harder — partly because of the Starlink and Starshield policies and speed limits.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Conflicting accounts before restoration
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Friday post on X that restrictions on Starlink and Starshield "are still there" and that speed had not been restored. He said the country is also waiting for the U.S. to deliver missile interceptors that were already agreed on.
Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Washington, D.C. think tank Silverado Policy Accelerator, said Ukraine's Starshield terminals were still experiencing problems on Friday despite comments from U.S. President Donald Trump indicating service was back. Defense Minister Yevgeny Khmara said the restored speed matters for the front line, drones, logistics and communications.
