Ukrainian officials announced that Starlink internet systems are still facing speed limitations, negatively impacting military operations. According to these officials, even with Donald Trump's statements about lifting restrictions, speeds of 140 to 160 kilometers per hour for using this service remain in effect.
Military Operations Affected by Restrictions
A Ukrainian government official stated: "Morning tests show that speed limitations still exist and navigation is not functioning properly." He also added that currently, connection loss is observed at speeds above 161 kilometers per hour, and there is no confirmation regarding the cancellation of restrictions.
Read more: Global Warning About Severe Vulnerability in Website Codes
Speed Tests and Signal Disruptions
Ukrainian drone units began testing speed limitations last night, immediately after Trump announced that Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, had reinstated the restrictions on the Starlink service. While some tests recorded speeds up to 200 kilometers per hour, drones still lose their signal as soon as they fly above 160 kilometers per hour.
A drone pilot from an elite Ukrainian unit known as "Hungarian Birds" stated: "When we push the speed above 180 kilometers per hour, we fly for a few minutes and then the connection drops. We return to 140 to 150 kilometers per hour and the connection is reestablished, but we have a better situation."
Speed limitations on the Starshield service, designed for military purposes, have disrupted key operations and limited important capabilities against Russian attack drones.
Reactions to the Restrictions
Elon Musk has stated that the U.S. government has control over the Starshield service, while Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has announced that the government cannot issue orders to SpaceX or Musk to impose limitations or reduce speeds of the Starlink service in Ukraine, as it is a private company.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, believes that the Starlink restrictions are a planned operation to limit the operational speed of Starshield in Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has stated that it has been unaware of the reasons for these restrictions for several days.
Trump told reporters on Thursday: "I don't want to say. This is a very interesting situation. My relationship with Elon is very good. I don't want to comment on whether I called or someone else did. The result is that he has reinstated the restrictions."
