Starlink in Ukraine Works Above 161 km/h Again, Sources Say

Starlink and Starshield equipment worked at speeds above 161 km/h on the morning of Saturday, October 24, according to Ukrainian Defense Forces and Defense Ministry specialists. Ukrainska Pravda cites sources in the ministry.

The ministry sources said that testing continues at higher speeds to find the upper limit and to establish how fully the connection has been restored. As of Saturday, they put the working speed at more than 161 km/h.

Why the speed limit mattered

President Volodymyr Zelensky said recently that on different sections of the front Starlink and Starshield terminals stop working at speeds of 130–161 kilometers per hour. That slows logistics and limits the use of Ukrainian drones. As we reported, he said the speed limits were still in force on October 23.

On October 16, US President Donald Trump said the White House had no part in restricting Ukraine's use of the system. The Telegraph, however, reported that SpaceX chief Elon Musk had proposed to Trump to limit the bandwidth of the Starlink and Starshield networks used by Ukrainian troops.

Pressure in Washington

The issue is also being raised in the United States: US lawmakers have urged the Pentagon to expand the Starshield contract for Ukraine. Find more in our technology section.