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Ukraine announced Saturday that its Starlink and Starshield satellite communications connections had stabilized following days of restrictions and tensions with Washington over the SpaceX-operated systems critical to its military operations.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Evhenii Khmara said monitoring systems had recorded a recovery in Starlink and Starshield performance, with connections remaining stable at reported speeds exceeding 400 km/h.
"Monitoring systems are recording a recovery in the speed of Starlink/Starshield. We are registering a speed of more than 400 km/h; the connection is stable," Khmara told reporters, according to state news agency Ukrinform.
Ukraine relies heavily on SpaceX's civilian Starlink satellite network and its military-grade Starshield system for battlefield communications, drone operations and logistics as it continues to defend itself against Russian missile and drone attacks.
Khmara emphasized the importance of restoring the services, particularly for Ukrainian forces operating on the front lines.
"This result is above all important for our front, for our soldiers, for the operation of drones, for logistics and for communications," he said.
The minister credited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's diplomatic efforts, describing the restoration as "yet another example of how direct dialogue and the firm stance taken by the President of Ukraine (Volodymyr Zelenskyy) at the highest level yield results."
Khmara added that the Defense Ministry would continue monitoring the satellite systems' performance and tracking their operating metrics.
The announcement follows more than a week of reported restrictions on Starshield services, which raised concerns in Kyiv about their impact on military operations amid continued Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy had accused Washington of undermining Ukraine's defense efforts by limiting Starlink speeds and failing to provide advance warnings of incoming Russian missile strikes.
The Ukrainian president previously said that Starlink and Starshield services remained limited despite efforts to resolve the issue.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he would speak with SpaceX founder Elon Musk if Ukraine continued experiencing difficulties with the satellite communications systems.
A day earlier, Trump had said Musk had restored access to the services.
Musk, who has repeatedly shifted his position on Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022, maintained that any restrictions on the systems were imposed by the U.S. government rather than SpaceX.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, rejected allegations that Washington was responsible for the reported slowdown.
"Starlink is a private company. They have a contract. They have contractual terms upon how that technology can be used. The important point is we cannot direct a private company as to the decisions they make or not make," Rubio told reporters during a visit to India earlier this week.
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