Ukrainian drones regain 400km/h speed after satellite link restoration

Ukrainian military drones can once again travel at speeds exceeding 400km/h, a capability that had been suspended for several days. Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara confirmed the restoration of full network speeds in a statement released on Saturday. The return to top speed allows the military to resume standard drone operations without the latency issues that plagued recent strikes.

The disruption began last week when Ukrainian officials claimed that US President Donald Trump instructed Starlink owner Elon Musk to impose speed limits. Under those restrictions, drones reportedly lost their satellite connection when traveling at 161km/h or faster. Trump initially denied giving such an order but later stated that Musk had "put it back," effectively resolving the technical bottleneck.

Kyiv relies heavily on the Starlink and Starshield networks to pilot drones and manage logistics across the battlefield. The system utilizes a constellation of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites, which is essential for communication in remote areas. Musk previously indicated that the Starshield service, which is more secure, falls under US military control, suggesting the Pentagon may have been involved in the recent connectivity issues.

The technical dispute arose against a backdrop of diplomatic friction between Washington and Kyiv. Tensions escalated over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, a move Trump argued drove up global fuel prices ahead of next month's midterm elections. In response, Trump waived certain sanctions on Russia and agreed to import Russian diesel for the US market, a decision criticized by Ukraine and its European allies.

Zelensky stated that the US also threatened to withdraw intelligence sharing if the strikes on Russian refineries did not cease. Trump denied this threat as well. The disagreement highlights the growing divergence between the two leaders on the strategy for ending the war, particularly regarding the economic impact of targeting Moscow's primary revenue source.

Combat operations continue despite the satellite issues. Russia's defence ministry reported on Saturday that air defences shot down 616 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones. These drones struck several regions, including the Russian-annexed territory of Crimea. Sergey Aksyonov, the Moscow-backed governor of Crimea, said that electricity and water restrictions were imposed in response to power cuts caused by the drone strikes.

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 recorded 88 air strikes by Russia on Friday, which employed 309 glide bombs and 10,270 kamikaze drones.