Ukrainian military verify likely lifting of Starlink speed limits after Trump call

Military note restoration of connection speed

On 22 October, Ukrainian military personnel reported the likely lifting of Starlink speed limits that had hindered drone operations. Oliver Carroll, a journalist for The Economist, cites unit commanders who are observing signs on the front line of satellite communications returning to high-speed mode. Preliminary data indicates an improvement in the situation, although the military continues to test the stability of the connection.

Reaction from an analyst and US media

US military analyst Michael Kofman also noted that he had received similar information. However, these reports do not yet provide grounds to assert that all terminals in Ukraine are operating without restrictions.

Information from The Wall Street Journal points to the reason for the changes: on 21 October, US President Donald Trump called Elon Musk and asked him to lift the restrictions. According to the publication, the system's performance improved the following day, although some Ukrainian officials reported that its functionality had not been fully restored.

Technical nature of the restrictions and their impact on the front

The previously established restrictions concerned not internet speed or file downloads, but the speed of terminal movement at which the satellite connection is maintained. Equipment on drones lost connection when the speed exceeded approximately 160 km/h. This affected the use of the Starshield military service, which is based on Starlink technologies.

Under wartime conditions, such restrictions complicated the execution of tasks by Ukrainian drones, particularly the interception of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles. Representatives of units reported failed missions and the loss of aircraft due to connection drops.

Context of events and previous restrictions

It is worth noting that problems with specific military services did not mean the disconnection of the entire Starlink network in Ukraine. Current checks are intended to show at what speeds the connection remains stable and whether all capabilities necessary for the military have been restored.

Recall that restrictions on the operation of Starlink terminals were introduced on the night of October 13–14. Presidential Advisor for Technological Issues Serhiy Beskrestnov then confirmed that the restrictions concerned the Starshield military package and led to the failure of a number of missions.

In addition, on 20 October, Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with Marco Rubio. During the call, the parties discussed the operation of Starlink and Starshield, the supply of interceptor missiles, and timely warnings about Russian ballistic attacks.