Fedorov: Starlink connectivity at speeds up to 160 km/h being restored after restriction

Ukraine said that SpaceX without warning restricted the connection speed of military Starlink terminals, causing loss of communication with drones flying faster than 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) and disrupting combat missions.

By midday on Wednesday, October 14, former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov reported that connectivity at speeds up to 160 km/h was being restored.

Fedorov added that fully lifting the speed restriction for Starshield, the military service, is “now critically important for Ukraine’s defense.”

Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram that the restriction applies to the “military package” of Starshield.

“Our defense forces received no warning about this restriction, and it led to the disruption of several missions,” he wrote, adding that the move “cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation.”

Some units reported that problems began at speeds significantly below the stated limit. Ukraine’s 7th Army Corps told Reuters that “communication could drop out for 10–20 seconds at speeds as low as 110–120 km/h.” This made drones harder to control and forced the cancellation of some missions. Ukrainian sources told UNN that the cutoff threshold varied by unit, ranging from approximately 72 to 161 km/h. A source at the Ministry of Defense told Reuters that Kyiv had contacted SpaceX, the U.S. government, and NATO to find out the reasons for the restrictions imposed.

Beskrestnov warned that the restriction could affect Ukrainian interceptor drones, which he described as the most effective means of defense against Russian jet-powered Shaheds. George Barros of the Institute for the Study of War told the BBC that Starlink is the “backbone of military communications in Ukraine.” Starlink does not operate in Russia, so drones striking Russian oil refineries use other systems.

Elon Musk redirected responsibility to Washington in his account on X:

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. Any speed or usage restrictions are set by the U.S. military and, ultimately, the president.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ukraine gains access to Starshield under a contract with the Department of Defense. As NBC News reports, Ukrainian military personnel learned of the restriction from customer support after filing a complaint. The White House declined to comment.

Poland, which pays for Ukrainian Starlink subscriptions, responded through Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who addressed Musk on X: “Hey big guy, are you playing politics with your products again? We, your European customers, are watching you.” Shares in a European satellite operator rose as investors bet that European providers could benefit from the escalating situation.

A few days before the incident, Musk wrote that Zelensky had “gone too far.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had no information about the restrictions. On October 14, Musk again called on Zelensky to resign, stressing that he does not want the war to end so as to avoid facing elections and a loss of power.