Ukraine Confirms Restoration of Starlink Service for Military Drones
Satellite connectivity issues that hindered drone operations for over a week have been resolved following diplomatic efforts between Kyiv and Washington.
By Malik Salazar ·
Ukraine announced on Saturday that full access to Starlink satellite services has been restored for its military forces. This resolution ends a period of disruption lasting more than a week, during which the lack of connectivity significantly hampered the country's drone operations against Russian forces. The recovery of these links is a critical development for Kyiv's defense capabilities, as the nation relies heavily on the technology provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX for both communications and targeted strikes.
Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara provided specific details on the stability of the connection. He stated that the Starlink and Starshield signals are now reliable even on equipment moving at speeds exceeding 400 kilometres per hour. The minister attributed the successful resolution to ongoing discussions with Washington and the diplomatic efforts of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The clarity on connection speeds suggests that the technical barriers to high-velocity drone use have been overcome.
The exact origin of the previous restrictions remains a point of ambiguity. It is not yet publicly known which party initiated the limitations on service. US President Donald Trump has denied responsibility for the outage while simultaneously defending Musk. This lack of clarity has added another layer of complexity to an already strained relationship between the two administrations. The incident highlights the dependence of modern warfare on private commercial infrastructure and the potential for political friction to impact operational readiness.
Relations between Kyiv and Washington have faced significant pressure recently. Tensions were heightened by Trump's agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel and to allow for US imports. Earlier this month, the US President called for Ukraine to appoint a new head of state. On Monday, he further suggested that someone other than Zelenskyy should lead the negotiations for Kyiv. These statements follow a public confrontation between the two leaders at the White House in February 2025, indicating a sustained shift in the dynamic of the bilateral relationship.
The timing of the service restoration coincides with renewed efforts by the United States to facilitate peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. Negotiators from all three parties are expected to convene in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. This meeting comes more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the plans for these talks on Friday, while Zelenskyy announced that an agreement had been reached to hold technical-level meetings.
Separately, Trump credited First Lady Melania Trump with securing a local ceasefire in the Oleshky area of the Kherson region. Russian forces have occupied this part of southern Ukraine since 2022. Subsequent statements from Ukrainian and Russian officials indicated that the ceasefire would begin on October 27. A humanitarian operation is scheduled for October 29, aiming to provide aid to the affected population in the region.
Despite the diplomatic movements, active combat continued across the front lines. A Russian missile strike on Lozova in the northeastern Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others on Saturday, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. In the northern region of Chernihiv, a Russian attack on Friday resulted in one death and at least 25 injuries, as reported by local authorities. In the east, officials in Donetsk reported that shelling in Kramatorsk killed one person and wounded six, including three children. Additionally, Sloviansk Mayor Vadym Lyakh stated that attacks on Friday killed a 62-year-old woman and injured four others.
Ukraine also reported conducting strikes within Russian territory on Friday and into Saturday. Targets included the Togliattikauchuk petrochemical plant in Togliatti, a significant producer of synthetic rubber. Mayor Ilya Sukhikh confirmed industrial damage at the site but reported no casualties. Kyiv also claimed a hit on the Proton electronics plant in Oryol, which manufactures missile components. Regional Governor Andrei Klychkov reported three deaths in an attack on an unidentified facility in that area. Meanwhile, authorities in the Russian-occupied Crimea region reported power cuts following overnight Ukrainian attacks.
Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that its air defense systems intercepted a SCALP cruise missile, four Neptune missiles, and 1,297 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over a 24-hour period, according to TASS. These figures have not been independently verified. The high volume of reported drone interceptions underscores the intensity of the aerial conflict and the continued reliance on both defensive systems and satellite-linked offensive capabilities on both sides of the conflict.
