Starlink Drone Links Restore Speed

Ukrainian military satellite connections have returned to full capacity, ending a disruption that lasted more than one week. Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield links are now stable on equipment traveling faster than 400 kilometers per hour, or 250 miles per hour. The restoration allows drone operations against Russian forces to resume at their previous velocity.

Khmara attributed the resolution to diplomatic efforts, specifically citing talks with Washington and the actions of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine relies heavily on satellite services provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX for communications and drone missions. The exact originator of the initial restrictions remains unconfirmed. US President Donald Trump has denied responsibility for the cutoff while defending Musk.

The outage occurred during a period of heightened friction between Kyiv and Washington. Tensions were already strained by Trump’s agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel and permit US imports. In early October, Trump called for a change in Ukrainian leadership and suggested that someone other than Zelenskyy should negotiate for the country. These remarks followed a public confrontation between the two leaders at the White House in February 2025.

The return of service coincides with efforts to restart peace negotiations. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. This is the first major meeting planned in over four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the talks on Friday, and Zelenskyy agreed to hold technical-level meetings.

Trump also credited First Lady Melania Trump with securing a local ceasefire in Oleshky, located in the Kherson region. Russian forces have occupied the area since 2022. Ukrainian and Russian statements indicate the ceasefire will begin on October 27, with a humanitarian operation planned for October 29.

Combat continued on the front lines during the satellite outage. Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that a Russian missile strike on Lozova in the Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others on Saturday. In the north, a Russian attack on Chernihiv on Friday killed one man and wounded at least 25 people. In Donetsk, shelling in Kramatorsk killed one person and wounded six, including three children. Sloviansk Mayor Vadym Lyakh said attacks there killed a 62-year-old woman and wounded four people.

Ukraine reported strikes inside Russia on Friday and into Saturday. Targets included the Togliattikauchuk petrochemical plant in Togliatti, where Mayor Ilya Sukhikh confirmed industrial damage without casualties. Ukraine also claimed a hit on the Proton electronics plant in Oryol, a manufacturer of missile components. Regional Governor Andrei Klychkov reported three deaths at an unidentified facility. Authorities in occupied Crimea reported power cuts following overnight attacks. Russia’s Defence Ministry stated its air defences intercepted one SCALP cruise missile, four Neptune missiles, and 1,297 fixed-wing drones in 24 hours.