The speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield satellite terminals used by the Ukrainian military have supposedly been lifted. Ukrainian drone operators have already begun checking the operation of connectivity under the new conditions, but there is no final confirmation yet that the restrictions have been lifted.
This was reported on October 22 by The Economist journalist Oliver Carroll on social network X, citing representatives of Ukrainian drone aviation units.
According to the journalist, unit commanders reported changes in the operation of satellite connectivity. Preliminary results indicate that the previously introduced speed restrictions may have been lifted.
However, the Ukrainian military continues testing to determine whether connectivity is indeed restored without the previous restrictions.
At the time of publication, neither SpaceX nor Ukrainian government agencies have officially confirmed the complete lifting of restrictions.
As a reminder, on the night of October 14, the Ukrainian military encountered unexpected restrictions on the operation of Starshield satellite terminals — a specialized military version of SpaceX's Starlink system.
When the terminals moved at high speed, the connection to the satellite network was interrupted. This complicated the use of drones, including interceptor drones used to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian air attacks.
Already on October 15, sources in the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported a partial restoration of the system's operation. However, the speed restriction remained in force, and the Ukrainian side sought its complete abolition.
On October 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that the restrictions remain. According to him, the checks showed differences in the operation of the terminals on the territory of Ukraine and in the countries of the European Union.
The issue of Starshield restrictions became the subject of negotiations between Kyiv, Washington, and SpaceX. The Ukrainian side has repeatedly emphasized the need for stable satellite connectivity to ensure the country's defense capability.
At the same time, disagreements arose between American officials and SpaceX leadership regarding who exactly ordered the restriction of the system's operation.
As previously reported by "Kurs Ukrainy", the Reuters agency, citing American and Western officials, wrote that the corresponding order came from the White House. However, representatives of the Donald Trump administration denied the president's involvement in the introduction of restrictions.
For his part, SpaceX founder Elon Musk claimed that the Starshield military system is under the control of American authorities, who determine the conditions for its use.
On October 22, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump personally called Musk to ask him to lift the restrictions on the satellite system for Ukraine. According to the publication, the quality of connectivity improved after that, although full restoration had not been confirmed at the time of the report.
Thus, reports from Ukrainian drone operators could indicate further restoration of Starshield's operation. A final conclusion will be possible after the completion of checks and confirmation from relevant agencies or the service provider.
