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Starlink Ukraine connection 'stable' again, says defence ministry
Ukraine's defence minister Evhenii Khmara said on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield satellite communications in Ukraine had regained a 'stable' connection, with monitoring systems recording speeds of over 400 kph.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 24, 2026
• 2 Min Read
What the defence ministry recorded
Ukraine has regained a "stable" connection to the Starlink and Starshield satellite communications systems, defence minister Evhenii Khmara said on Saturday. According to Khmara, the ministry's monitoring systems are recording a return to normal speed, with speeds of over 400 kph.
"Monitoring systems had previously recorded disruptions to the Starlink/Starshield service. The speed metrics have now returned to normal," the ministry said.
The SpaceX-made network is crucial to the Ukrainian army's operations, and Starshield is its military version.
More than a week of restrictions
The restored connection came after over a week of service restrictions that slowed connections and disrupted military operations. Ukrainian officials said the effects were severe:
- •The restrictions were first reported on October 14
- •They undermined Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian attack drones
- •They disrupted frontline communications, Ukrainian officials said
Sources said connection speeds had been reduced to about 160 kph or less during the period of disruption.
Who was responsible remains unclear
Neither Elon Musk nor the US government has acknowledged responsibility for restricting Starlink or Starshield in Ukraine; each has said publicly that any such decision could only have been taken by the other. Reuters has reported that the order to throttle Starshield came from inside the White House.
The disruption followed US President Donald Trump's announcement of a deal to buy Russian diesel and his waiving of new sanctions on Moscow, while pressing Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries.
Trump's pledge and what remains unknown
Trump said on Friday that if problems with access to Starlink in Ukraine persisted, he would "get it straightened out". The Ukrainian military does not disclose the systems' maximum operating speeds, and the defence ministry did not say whether service had been fully restored.
