Starlink Drone Links Stable at 400 km/h
Ukrainian officials confirm satellite restrictions are lifted, restoring high-speed communications for military operations.
By Noor Phillips ·
Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara stated on Saturday that Starlink and Starshield connections are now stable for equipment moving faster than 400 kilometres per hour. This confirmation ends a period of disruption lasting more than a week, during which military drone operations against Russian forces were hampered by connectivity issues.
The restoration follows diplomatic engagement between Kyiv and Washington. Khmara credited President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump for the outcome. Ukraine relies heavily on satellite services provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX for communications and drone missions, making the return of full speed capabilities a tangible operational improvement.
Uncertainty persists regarding who originally ordered the restrictions. Trump has denied responsibility while defending Musk, adding tension to relations between the two capitals. Friction had already increased due to Trump's agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel and allow US imports. In early October, Trump publicly called for a new Ukrainian president and suggested Zelenskyy should not be the primary negotiator for Kyiv.
The resolution arrives as the United States moves to revive peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. Negotiators from the three nations are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. This marks the first major diplomatic gathering since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned talks on Friday, while Zelenskyy announced agreement on technical-level meetings.
Trump also claimed that his wife, Melania, secured a local ceasefire in Oleshky, a town in the Kherson region occupied by Russian forces since 2022. Ukrainian and Russian authorities later specified that the ceasefire began on October 27, with a humanitarian operation scheduled for October 29. This development stands out against the backdrop of ongoing military engagements.
Fighting continued across the front line during the disruption. A Russian missile strike on Lozova in the Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others on Saturday, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. In Chernihiv, a Russian attack on Friday resulted in one death and at least 25 injuries. Donetsk officials reported that shelling in Kramatorsk killed one person and wounded six, including three children, while attacks in Sloviansk killed a 62-year-old woman and wounded four people.
Ukraine reported strikes inside Russia on Friday and overnight into Saturday, targeting industrial sites. The Togliattikauchuk petrochemical plant in Togliatti sustained industrial damage but reported no casualties, according to Mayor Ilya Sukhikh. Ukrainian forces also struck the Proton electronics plant in Oryol, a facility that produces missile components. Regional Governor Andrei Klychkov reported three deaths in an attack on an unidentified facility in the same area.
Russia's Defence Ministry announced that its air defences intercepted a SCALP cruise missile, four Neptune missiles, and 1,297 fixed-wing drones over a 24-hour period. TASS reported these figures, though they have not been independently verified. Power cuts were also reported in Russian-occupied Crimea following overnight Ukrainian attacks.
