Ukraine Confirms Satellite Speeds Back to Normal After Ten-Day Freeze

Ukrainian forces have regained full-speed access to Starlink satellite communications, ending a ten-day period of operational restrictions that disrupted frontline tactics. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the restoration on Saturday in a video address on Telegram, stating that the system now operates at the levels required for daily military logistics and defense.

The sudden speed limits, which capped terminal usage at 160km/h (99mph), forced the cancellation of several combat missions earlier this month. The restrictions specifically hampered the military's ability to intercept Russian attack drones and target assets behind enemy lines. During the freeze, Russia launched ballistic missiles at Ukraine without advance warning from the United States, a gap in intelligence sharing that Ukrainian commanders cited as a critical vulnerability.

The timing of the restrictions drew immediate scrutiny from Washington. The limits began around the same time Donald Trump announced a US deal to purchase Russian diesel. Trump initially distanced his administration from the decision, stating, "I don't know if it was anybody, but it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon." He referred to Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX, which manufactures the terminals but operates them under US government management.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced this separation of duties last Wednesday. He told reporters that the president does not run the company and cannot direct its operations. "The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr Musk," Rubio said. Musk, however, pushed the responsibility back onto the government, writing on X that the systems are owned and controlled by the US military and ultimately the president.

Vice-president JD Vance supported Musk’s position on Thursday, arguing that the billionaire did not want to intervene in a war between state actors without clear government direction. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, blamed both parties for the disruption. "It was a message from [the] American government to limit the speed," Zelenskyy said, noting that SpaceX technically executed the order. He pointed out that Starshield terminals in other European countries faced no such limits, calling the move a "planned operation" that risked human lives.

Confusion persisted over the timeline of the fix. Trump claimed on Thursday that the service was back at full speed, but a European official told the Associated Press the system was not yet fully functioning. On Friday, Trump suggested he might instruct Musk to stop "messing around" with Ukraine's access if problems continued. By Saturday morning, Ukrainian officials confirmed that speeds had risen sufficiently for operational use, marking the end of the standoff.