ZELENSKYY REPORTS RESTORED STARLINK AND STARSHIELD SPEEDS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield connection speeds had returned to their previous levels. He said restoration began overnight and speeds were sufficient by the morning. SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said Ukraine’s military had breached Starlink’s terms of service by using it for offensive drone strikes to “kill people”. Musk said SpaceX closed what he called a loophole last week. He said the civilian commercial service had never permitted that use.

Restrictions slowed Ukraine’s access to the satellite communication systems for 10 days, affecting combat missions and defence against Russian attacks. Zelenskyy said the restored speeds mattered for frontline logistics and defence against jet-powered “shaheds”. Musk said the US government controls Starshield and decides how to use it. He said Starlink remained critical to Ukraine’s defence because he believed other forces could neither jam nor destroy it. Musk also said Starlink helped Ukraine maintain communications early in the war when Russia destroyed or jammed other systems.

Musk said Ukraine’s front line would collapse if Starlink stopped working, adding: “This is NOT a threat, it is simply a statement of fact.” He said SpaceX had done more to defend Ukraine than any other private company. Musk has previously denied that SpaceX restricted Starlink connection speeds. The restrictions coincided with a dispute between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump over an executive order easing sanctions on Russian diesel exports. Some Ukrainian officials said the measure could give Russia more money to fund its invasion.