Ukraine satellite internet speeds return to normal after one-week cut

Ukrainian military operations relying on satellite connectivity have returned to full capacity after a one-week period of reduced speeds. The restoration of Starlink and Starshield links follows a public admission by SpaceX owner Elon Musk that his company ordered the slowdown. The decision disrupted communications and drone strikes for Ukrainian forces fighting Russian troops.

Zelenskyy announced the return to normal speeds on Saturday, stating that the restoration began overnight and was complete by morning. He noted that the previous restrictions hampered front-line operations for more than a week, affecting logistics and defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones. Zelenskyy posted on X that speeds are now where they need to be, improving the military's ability to function effectively.

Musk explained the restriction through a post on X, arguing that Starlink is a civilian commercial service. He stated that using the system for offensive drone strikes to kill people had never been allowed. According to Musk, the Ukrainian military violated the terms of service by engaging in such strikes, and the company closed that loophole last week. He maintained that the U.S. government controlled any changes to Starshield, the military-grade version of the service that underpins Ukraine's drone operations.

The episode has added strain to relations between Kyiv and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump said he did not make the call to cut speeds, though he added that Musk should not be blamed. Vice-President JD Vance hinted at White House coordination with Musk, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth denied any administration involvement in the decision. Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy with restoring the necessary connectivity for the front.

The technical fix arrives as a fresh U.S. diplomatic push seeks to end the war. Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way talks with the U.S. and Ukraine next month. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the southern Kherson region. This ceasefire was brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump.

Combat continued during the period of reduced connectivity. Local officials reported that a man was killed and two others wounded in a missile attack on Lozova in the Kharkiv region. Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea reported blackouts following overnight Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine's General Staff said it hit a chemical plant in Tolyatti that produces materials for rocket fuel and an electronics plant in Oryol that makes components for Russian missiles. Three people died in the Oryol attack, while Ukrainian drones also reached the Omsk region, more than 2,000 kilometers from the border, where a drone attacked an Ozon logistics centre with no casualties reported.