Ukraine says Starlink, Starshield speeds restored

Ukraine said on October 24 that Starlink and Starshield had returned to the operating speeds its military needed, after more than a week of restrictions that officials said disrupted military operations. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said restoration began overnight, and the Defence Ministry reported stable connections at speeds above 400 kilometres per hour. The announcement was followed by Elon Musk’s allegation that Ukraine’s military had used Starlink for offensive drone strikes in violation of its terms of service. Musk, chief executive of SpaceX, which operates Starlink, said the loophole had been closed the previous week. His claim was not independently substantiated in the reports, and Ukrainian officials’ public response to the allegation was not established. Ukraine said the restrictions had hampered efforts to intercept Russian attack drones and forced the cancellation of some operations. The Defence Ministry said stable service was important for frontline communications, drone operations, logistics and military activity. Ukrainian officials have also described Starlink as vital to frontline connectivity, while saying the country does not rely on it for long-range...