Zelenskyy confirms Starlink and Starshield bandwidth returns to full capacity

Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared on October 24 that the satellite internet systems Starlink and Starshield have returned to their maximum operational speeds. The Ukrainian president stated that the restrictions imposed on the networks were lifted by that morning, restoring the bandwidth required for military command and control.

The recovery of full speeds was a critical adjustment for Ukraine’s frontline logistics. Prior to the restoration, the systems operated at reduced rates, which Zelenskyy noted interfered with the coordination of troops and the deployment of drones. He specifically cited the need for reliable high-speed connections to defend against jet-powered Shahed drones, which require real-time data transmission for effective interception.

Before Zelenskyy’s announcement, the Ministry of Defence verified the technical recovery. The ministry reported that the systems had initially reached speeds exceeding 161 km/h overnight. By the time of the official confirmation, the connection had stabilized at speeds above 400 km/h, matching the pre-restriction performance levels.

The bandwidth limitations had been in place for several days. Zelenskyy previously reported that the networks were capped at speeds between 130 and 161 km/h in various sectors along the line of contact. This throttling reduced the effectiveness of drone strikes and slowed the movement of logistical data across the battlefield.

Political debate accompanied the technical disruption. On October 16, Donald Trump stated that the White House was not involved in the decision to limit Ukraine’s access to the full bandwidth. Separately, The Telegraph reported that Elon Musk had discussed restricting the satellite network usage with Trump, suggesting the bandwidth cap may have originated from direct communications between the two leaders.

The restoration marks the end of the temporary cap on the satellite networks. The military now operates with the full data capacity that was available before the slowdown began.