Starlink returns to full operation in Ukraine, drones can travel at over 400 km/h

After several days of communication difficulties, the Ukrainian military once again has stable access to the Starlink satellite network. Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced that the connection now also supports operations at speeds exceeding 400 km/h.

Khmara described the achievement as important for troops on the front line, drone operations, logistics and communications in a statement published on Saturday.

Ukraine’s forces rely heavily on Starlink, which comprises thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit and is used particularly in remote areas of the battlefield. The network is used to control drones, communicate and conduct military operations.

The announcement comes after Kyiv raised concerns about restrictions that had affected the military’s use of Starlink. Last week, Ukrainian authorities said that drones flying at speeds above 161 km/h were losing their connection because of network restrictions.

U.S. President Donald Trump denied ordering the restrictions. Later, he said that Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, had restored the service.

In addition to the civilian Starlink service, Ukraine also uses Starshield, a more secure satellite communications system created for government and military needs. Musk has previously said that control of Starshield belongs to the U.S. military, raising questions about Washington’s involvement in the recent communication problems.

Starlink is not authorized for use by Russia. According to reports, the network does not work when Ukraine carries out attacks on targets deep inside Russian territory, including oil refineries, using missiles or long-range drones.

The issue of Starlink was discussed amid diplomatic tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, linked to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Kyiv views these strikes as a way to weaken the revenues financing Moscow’s war, while Trump has said they have contributed to rising global fuel prices.

Zelensky also said that the United States had threatened Ukraine with cutting off the sharing of intelligence if the attacks did not stop. Trump denied this statement as well.

Fighting continues on the ground. On Saturday, Russian authorities announced power outages in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia, following a Ukrainian drone attack. Sergey Aksyonov, the Moscow-backed governor, said that restrictions had also been imposed on the water supply.

Meanwhile, Russian-backed authorities reported a Ukrainian attack in the Kharkiv region, where at least three people were killed and another was injured.