Ukraine says Starlink connection ‘stable’ after days of restrictions

Ukraine’s defence minister, Yevhenii Khmara, said on Saturday 24 October 2026 that the country again has a “stable connection” to Starlink, after days in which its drones lost the satellite signal at speeds of 161km/h or more. Khmara said speeds of more than 400km/h were now possible on the network.

What did Ukraine’s defence minister say?

In a statement issued on Saturday, Khmara said the result was “above all important for our front, for our soldiers, for the operation of drones, for logistics and for communications”. He said speeds above 400km/h were now achievable, indicating that full capability had been restored.

Why was Starlink restricted in Ukraine?

Ukraine accused US President Donald Trump last week of telling Starlink owner Elon Musk to place limits on the service, which meant drones lost connection once they reached 161km/h (100mph). Trump denied doing so, before saying Musk had “put it back”, after Trump said Musk had restored Ukraine’s Starlink access. Musk separately said the US military sets any Starshield speed limits when he suggested the Pentagon could be behind the recent issues.

How much does Ukraine’s military depend on the network?

Ukraine’s forces use a network of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites extensively for military operations, particularly in remote areas of the battlefield, drawing on both the civilian Starlink service and the more secure Starshield. Russia is not authorised to use Starlink, so the network does not function when Ukraine sends long-range missiles or drones deep into Russia to strike oil refineries.

What is the row between Trump and Zelensky about?

The Starlink dispute emerged during a broader diplomatic row between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Trump said the refinery strikes, which Kyiv describes as crucial to cutting Moscow’s main revenue source, have pushed global prices higher. With midterm elections due next month, Trump has waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed a deal to import Russian diesel for the US market, a move criticised by Ukraine and its European allies. Zelensky said the US had also threatened to withdraw intelligence sharing if the strikes did not stop; Trump denied this too.

What is happening on the battlefield?

Russia’s Ministry of Defence wrote on Telegram on Saturday that its air defences shot down 616 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones, striking a number of regions across the country including Russian-annexed Crimea. Sergey Aksyonov, the region’s Moscow-backed governor, said restrictions on electricity and water had been put in place because of power cuts caused by the drone strikes. Ukrainian authorities said their forces struck a missile component manufacturer, a chemical plant and an aircraft at a military airfield inside Russia in the past 24 hours, and that Russia carried out 88 air strikes using 309 glide bombs and 10,270 kamikaze drones on Friday.

Frequently asked questions

Is Starlink working in Ukraine again?

Yes. Ukraine’s defence minister, Yevhenii Khmara, said on 24 October 2026 that the country has a stable Starlink connection and that speeds above 400km/h are now possible.

Why did Ukrainian drones lose their Starlink connection?

Ukraine said last week that drones lost connection at speeds of 161km/h or more, after Kyiv accused US President Donald Trump of telling Elon Musk to place limits on the service. Trump denied doing so.

Does Russia use Starlink?

No. Russia is not authorised to use Starlink, which is why the network does not work when Ukraine sends long-range missiles or drones deep into Russia to hit oil refineries.

How many satellites does Ukraine’s military rely on?

Ukraine’s forces use a network of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites, including the civilian Starlink service and the military-grade Starshield.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)