Symbolic imageStarlink speeds restored in Ukraine as Musk accuses Kyiv of breaking terms
Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield are back at normal speeds after more than a week of throttling. Elon Musk says Ukraine's military violated Starlink's terms of service.
On Saturday, 24 October, Ukraine's defence ministry said it was recording restored speeds, with connectivity stable above 400 km/h. Since 14 October, terminals had failed above about 160 km/h, which according to Ukrainian officials hampered drone interception and forced missions to be cancelled. President Zelensky said restoration began overnight and was sufficient by Saturday morning. He had earlier blamed both the US government and SpaceX, noting the limits applied only to Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump asked Musk on 21 October to lift the restrictions.
Musk blames Ukrainian use
Musk wrote on X that Ukraine's military used Starlink for offensive drone strikes and that this loophole was closed last week, without giving evidence. He said Starshield is a different system controlled by the US government. Neither Musk nor Washington has accepted responsibility for the curbs, the Guardian notes.
Oleshky ceasefire and talks
A local ceasefire to evacuate civilians from occupied Oleshky is set to start on 27 October, though Moscow and Washington give different start dates. The FAZ reports that peace talks are planned in Abu Dhabi, and Le Monde says Zelensky confirmed direct negotiations with Russia under US mediation for November.