Ukraine confirms drone speeds return to 400km/h after Starlink limits end

Ukrainian drones can once again travel at speeds exceeding 400 kilometers per hour, according to Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara. He announced the restoration of full satellite internet capabilities on Saturday, marking the end of several days of restricted connectivity for the military.

Khmara emphasized that the speed increase is critical for frontline operations, drone piloting, and logistics. The military relies on the Starlink network and its military-grade version, Starshield, to maintain communication across the battlefield. During the recent restrictions, drones reportedly lost their satellite connection when moving at speeds of 161 kilometers per hour or faster.

The connectivity issues arose amid a diplomatic dispute between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian officials previously accused Trump of instructing Starlink owner Elon Musk to impose the limits. Trump denied giving such an order but later confirmed that Musk had restored the service. Musk has indicated that the Pentagon, which controls the Starshield system, may have been involved in the recent technical problems.

The disagreement is linked to a wider conflict over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Trump has argued that these attacks have raised global fuel prices, a concern ahead of the midterm elections next month. To address this, the US waived some sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel. Kyiv and its European allies criticized this move, while Ukraine maintained that targeting Russian refineries is essential to reducing Moscow's war revenue.

Zelensky stated that the US also threatened to stop sharing intelligence if Ukraine did not halt its strikes, a claim Trump denied. The satellite dispute has practical implications for deep strikes, as Russia is not authorized to use Starlink. This means the network does not function when Ukraine sends long-range missiles or drones into Russian territory.

On the ground, Russia's defense ministry reported on Saturday that its air defenses shot down 616 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones. These drones struck several regions, including Russian-annexed Crimea. Sergey Aksyonov, the Moscow-backed governor of Crimea, said the attacks caused power cuts that forced local authorities to restrict electricity and water supplies.

Ukrainian authorities announced that in the past 24 hours, they targeted a missile component manufacturer, a chemical plant, and an aircraft at a military airfield inside Russia. They also reported that Russia conducted 88 air strikes on Friday, deploying 309 glide bombs and 10,270 kamikaze drones.