Ukraine Drone Links Return at High Speed
Satellite connectivity for military drones exceeding 400 km/h has been restored after a week of disruption, according to Kyiv.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
Military drones in Ukraine can once again use satellite links while traveling at speeds above 400 kilometers per hour. This capability was suspended for more than a week, creating a gap in communications for fast-moving aerial assets targeting Russian forces.
Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced the restoration of service on Saturday. He stated that Starlink and Starshield connections are now stable on equipment moving at more than 400 kilometers per hour. Khmara attributed the fix to discussions with Washington and diplomatic efforts by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine relies heavily on satellite services provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX for communications and drone missions. It remains unclear who initially ordered the restrictions. US President Donald Trump denied responsibility for the halt while defending Musk, adding a layer of confusion to the incident.
The disruption placed additional stress on relations between Kyiv and Washington. Tensions were already high following Trump's agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel and allow US imports. Earlier this month, Trump suggested that a new Ukrainian president should negotiate with Moscow, a comment that followed a public confrontation between the two leaders at the White House in February 2025.
The return of satellite access coincides with efforts to revive peace negotiations. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned talks on Friday, while Zelenskyy agreed to technical-level meetings.
Fighting continued on the ground during the week of disruption. A Russian missile strike on Lozova in the Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others on Saturday. In Chernihiv, a Friday attack killed a man and wounded at least 25 people. Ukrainian forces also reported strikes inside Russia, including hits on a petrochemical plant in Togliatti and an electronics facility in Oryol.
Russia's Defence Ministry reported that air defences intercepted one SCALP cruise missile, four Neptune missiles, and 1,297 fixed-wing drones over a 24-hour period. TASS reported these figures, though they have not been independently verified. In the Kherson region, a local ceasefire in Oleshky was set to begin on October 27, with a humanitarian operation planned for October 29.
