Defence Ministry: Starlink 161 km/h speed limit still in effect despite Trump's statements

As of the morning of 23 October, Ukrainian military personnel continue to record instances of Starlink/Starshield connection loss while moving at a speed of approximately 161 km/h. Despite reports of partial restoration of equipment functionality, there is no confirmation of the full cancellation of the restrictions. The issue affects the use of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly interceptor drones.

Sources in the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine told Ukrinform about this.

According to the agency's interlocutors, specialists from the defence ministry and the Defence Forces are constantly checking the operation of Starlink/Starshield satellite communications and documenting the results.

"The Defence Forces and specialists of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine are constantly monitoring the operation of Starlink/Starshield lines and recording the results. As of the morning, cases of connection loss at a speed of 161 km/h are still being observed. There is currently no confirmation that the restrictions have been lifted," the sources said.

The first reports of connection problems appeared in the night from 13 to 14 October. Ukrainian military personnel recorded that Starshield terminals – the military version of the Starlink satellite system – began losing connection while moving at high speed.

Depending on the equipment, the connection was interrupted at speeds ranging from approximately 72 to 161 km/h. Later, the main threshold for the restriction was cited as 100 miles per hour, which corresponds to approximately 161 km/h.

This created difficulties for Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles that use satellite communications while carrying out combat missions.

The restrictions were particularly noticeable for interceptor drones. To combat fast aerial targets, including jet-powered "Shaheds," the unmanned aerial vehicles must develop significantly higher speeds. Loss of connection during flight can lead to a failed interception or the loss of the aircraft itself.

Serhiy Beskrestnov, adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defence technologies, reported that the restrictions were introduced by the company SpaceX without prior notification to the Ukrainian side.

According to him, the limit concerns the operation of Starshield while moving at a speed exceeding 100 miles per hour.

Zelenskyy states that restrictions apply only in Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously reported that Ukrainian specialists had tested the operation of terminals on the territory of the European Union. During tests at a speed of 180 km/h, the connection was not lost.

According to the head of state, this indicates that the restrictions are applied specifically on the territory of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy called the situation a "planned operation" and noted that the Ukrainian side had not received official explanations regarding the reasons for introducing the limit.

Meanwhile, in the US, representatives of Donald Trump's administration deny involvement in the decision.

Trump himself stated that he had not ordered the restriction of satellite communications for Ukrainian military personnel. Later, he reported that the service was again operating at full speed.

However, information from Ukrainian military personnel as of 23 October does not confirm the full restoration of terminal operation.

Musk and US administration officials do not name who is responsible for the restrictions

Elon Musk stated that the military Starshield system is owned and controlled by the US government. According to him, decisions regarding the restriction of its use fall within the competence of the US military and the president.

Meanwhile, Musk emphasised that commercial Starlink, in his opinion, cannot be used for offensive military operations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that Trump or his administration had requested changes to the system's operation.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also did not confirm the administration's involvement in the restrictions, emphasising the need for the operator to comply with the terms of service.

US Vice President JD Vance, commenting on the situation, focused on the right of a private company to independently determine its participation in military operations in the absence of corresponding instructions from the US government.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump had called Elon Musk requesting the cancellation of the restrictions.

Reuters, The Telegraph, and WSJ also published information citing anonymous sources about the possible involvement of the White House in introducing the limits. However, there is no independent confirmation of these versions. Representatives of the US administration and the Pentagon denied the respective claims.

Did Starshield operation resume on 23 October

According to Associated Press information from 22 October, a European official stated that the speed limit of approximately 160 km/h remains in effect.

The Ukrainian side had also not received an official explanation regarding the reasons for their introduction at that time.

On 23 October, Ivan Shternenko reported that certain Ukrainian units had already been able to resume flights at speeds that previously exceeded the established limits.

However, such cases do not mean the full cancellation of the restrictions. Some military personnel continue to report connection problems while carrying out missions.

Against the backdrop of the situation, US Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal announced an investigation in the US Congress regarding the restrictions on Starlink/Starshield operation for Ukrainian defence.

It remains unclear who exactly made the decision to establish the speed limit, on what grounds it was introduced, and whether a full cancellation is planned.

According to the latest data from Ukrinform sources in the Ministry of Defence, cases of connection loss at a speed of 161 km/h continue to be recorded. There is no official confirmation of the full restoration of the system's operation as of the morning of 23 October.

Previously, StopCor reported on the possible removal of Starlink speed restrictions on 22 October. Ukrainian military personnel then reported an improvement in satellite communications operation after a phone call between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Meanwhile, checks on connection stability were still ongoing.

StopCor also wrote about the introduction of Starlink restrictions in the night before 14 October. At that time, Serhiy Beskrestnov confirmed that Starshield military package terminals lose connection at speeds exceeding 160 km/h. According to him, this led to the disruption of a number of combat missions.