Ukraine's defence minister says Starlink connection restored after network limits
Ukraine's defence minister Yevhenii Khmara said the country's Starlink link is stable after days of restricted military connectivity, with drone speeds above 400km/h now possible.
The story in focus
Ukraine's defence minister Yevhenii Khmara said the country's Starlink connection is now stable after days of restricted military connectivity, according to BBC News. Khmara said speeds above 400km/h are possible, indicating full capability. Kyiv relies on Starlink and Starshield for drones, logistics and communications across a network of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites.
- Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara said Ukraine's Starlink connection is 'now stable' after days of restricted military connectivity.
- Khmara said speeds above 400km/h are now possible, indicating full capability had been restored.
- The previous limit cut drone connections at 161km/h or more, according to Ukraine.
- Ukraine uses Starlink and Starshield across a network of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites.
- Khmara said the restoration matters for the front line, drones, logistics and communications.
Connection restored after days of limits
Ukraine's defence minister, Yevhenii Khmara, said on Saturday that the country's Starlink connection is now stable after its military suffered days of restricted connectivity, BBC News reported. Khmara said speeds of more than 400km/h were possible on the network, indicating that full capability had been restored.
The earlier restriction meant drones lost connection when travelling at 161km/h (100mph) or more, according to Ukraine. Khmara said the restored capability is important for the front line, soldiers, drone operations, logistics and communications.
Satellite reliance and the dispute
Kyiv relies on Starlink and its military-grade counterpart Starshield for piloting drones and operations within Ukraine, including in remote battlefield areas, BBC News reported. Ukraine's military uses the network of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites extensively.
Ukraine accused US President Donald Trump of telling owner Elon Musk to place limits on the network. Trump denied doing so before saying Musk had put it back, BBC News reported. Musk said Starshield was controlled by the US military when he suggested the Pentagon could be behind the issues. Russia is not authorised to use Starlink, so the network does not work when Ukraine sends long-range missiles or drones deep into Russia.
Fighting continues alongside diplomatic row
The Starlink dispute emerged during a broader diplomatic row between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Russia's ministry of defence said its air defences shot down 616 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones across several regions, including Russian-annexed Crimea. Ukrainian authorities said they struck a missile component manufacturer, a chemical plant and an aircraft at a military airfield inside Russia in the past 24 hours, and said Russia carried out 88 air strikes using 309 glide bombs and 10,270 kamikaze drones on Friday.
What did Ukraine's defence minister say about the restored Starlink capability?
Yevhenii Khmara said the Starlink connection is now stable and speeds above 400km/h are possible, indicating full capability. He said the result matters for the front line, soldiers, drone operations, logistics and communications, BBC News reported.
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