SpaceX restored Starlink and Starshield connectivity in Ukraine to pre-restriction speeds on 24 October, enabling military equipment and drones to operate at more than 400 km/h after more than a week of disruption. Elon Musk said Ukraine’s military had breached Starlink’s terms by using the civilian commercial network for offensive drone strikes, and that SpaceX had closed the alleged loophole the previous week.
Ukrainian officials had reported that speed restrictions were disrupting frontline communications, fast-moving equipment and drone-related defence operations during the war with Russia. Earlier limits reportedly affected terminals travelling above about 160 km/h, forcing some missions to be cancelled and weakening responses to Russian attacks.
Ukraine’s Defence Ministry recorded stable connections above 400 km/h after the restoration. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also confirmed that Starlink and Starshield were operating at their previous speeds.
Musk described Starlink as a civilian service intended for civilian or defensive use and maintained that the US government controlled changes affecting Starshield, SpaceX’s military-grade communications service. Ukrainian officials disputed or questioned his account, arguing that technical restrictions on terminals operating in Russia made offensive use of commercial Starlink impossible. Musk provided no evidence or detailed timeline for the alleged terms violation.