Ukrainian drones regain 250 mph satellite speeds
Speed limits that disrupted front-line operations for over a week were lifted Saturday, according to the Defense Minister.
By Leila Santos ·
Ukrainian military drones can now operate at their full operational speed again, ending a period of restricted connectivity that affected combat units for more than a week. Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced the return to normal service on Saturday.
Khmara stated that monitoring systems in the ministry now show stable connections for objects moving faster than 250 mph. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that technical checks verified both the standard Starlink service and Starshield, the military-grade variant provided by SpaceX, are functioning at the required speeds.
The disruption forced commanders to manage lost drones and interrupted missions during the previous week. Zelenskyy described the restoration as vital for front-line logistics and for defending against Shahed drones, the Iranian-made aerial threats that Russia launches frequently.
"Now the speed is what we need," Zelenskyy said. "The restoration began last night, and in the morning there were already speeds sufficient to use this connection. This is very important."
The technical fix arrives during a renewed diplomatic effort to end the war. U.S. envoys are pushing for a conclusion to the conflict, and Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Washington and Kyiv next month. Additionally, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on Friday to a localized ceasefire around Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in the Kherson region, a truce brokered by First Lady Melania Trump.
The satellite outage contributed to friction between Kyiv and Washington. The relationship was already tense following President Donald Trump's reported agreement with Moscow regarding Russian diesel imports, a move Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. Questions persisted last week about who ordered the interruptions to Elon Musk's satellite network, with Trump maintaining he did not make the call but advising that Musk should not be blamed.
Khmara credited direct dialogue and Zelenskyy's diplomacy for the resolution. He noted the restoration matters most for the front, military drone work, logistics, and communications. Zelenskyy thanked American partners for taking the issue seriously and providing assistance.
Source: CBS News
