--- title: "Zelenskyy: Starlink at the front is still not fully functional, US only increased speed" description: "At a briefing in Brussels, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Starlink is still not fully operational on the front: the US only increased the speed but did not restore previous parameters. This, according to him, limits the AFU in intercepting Shahed drones." date: 2026-10-16T12:40:42.470Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-starlink-front-speed tags: [starlink, ukraine-war, zelensky, space-x, military-communications] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Zelenskyy: Starlink at the front is still not fully functional, US only increased speed ![Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a serious expression at a briefing in Brussels while speaking](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/zelensky-starlink-front-speed/zelensky-starlink-front-speed-1.webp) ## Key Points - Zelenskyy stated that Starlink at the front is still not fully operational; the US only increased the speed but did not restore the previous parameters. - According to him, the AFU does not use Starlink for deep strikes on Russian territory, but uses it to intercept Shahed drones and for mid-strikes in occupied territories. - The president pointed out that after the speed reduction (by his data, to 78 km/h while Shaheds travel over 400 km/h), Ukraine was unable to shoot down some of the drones. - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized the US restriction on Starlink speed in Ukraine. During a briefing in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Starlink satellite communication system is still not operating at full capacity on the front lines, which prevents the Armed Forces of Ukraine from completing a number of tasks. According to him, the United States did not shut down the network, but reduced its speed; later, partners increased this parameter, yet it has not returned to its previous level. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the head of state’s address. ### Why the AFU does not use Starlink for deep strikes Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukrainian military personnel do not use Starlink for so-called deep strikes — attacks or retaliatory strikes on Russian territory. He explained that this was precisely why Kyiv had previously appealed to SpaceX and the White House with a request to enable such a capability. “If we had it, we certainly wouldn’t have asked,” the president noted, adding that the restriction on Starlink’s capabilities became a “very unpleasant and dangerous surprise” for Ukraine. ### Intercepting Shaheds and the speed problem According to Zelenskyy, Starlink is used at the front to intercept Shahed jet drones, which he claims strike civilian objects. Special interceptors are used for this — drones that move at high speed and operate via Starlink. The president pointed out that after the speed reduction, Ukrainian forces were unable to shoot down a certain number of these devices. The Shaheds were flying at speeds of over 400 kilometers per hour, while the communication speed, according to him, was reduced to 78 km/h, which he assesses hindered the protection of the population. ### Use in occupied territories The second area of application mentioned by Zelenskyy is work in occupied territories, where he says Starlink is used to engage military targets in a mid-strike format. He also stated that drones are used to deliver water and food to people at positions. The president estimates that the reduction in connection speed impacted Ukraine’s ability to defend the population. ### What partners say and the international context Zelenskyy reported that partners relayed signals from the White House regarding the restoration of Starlink's high-speed capabilities. When asked if the network had returned to its previous speed, he replied in the negative but confirmed that the speed had been increased. Earlier, according to media reports, Republican senators proposed that Ukraine stop strikes on Russian energy facilities for 100 days in exchange for expanding Starlink coverage for the AFU. Additionally, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized the US restriction on Starlink speed in Ukraine, which he says Germany also pays for. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [США до сих пор не возобновили полноценную работу Starlink, но увеличили скорость, - Зеленский](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ssha-dosi-vidnovili-povnotsinnu-robotu-starlink-1792154063.html) - Source: Zelenskyy’s remarks at a briefing in Brussels. The speech occurred; technical parameters (78 km/h, 400 km/h) and the assessment of Starlink's usage are presidential claims, not verified independently. ## FAQ ### Is Starlink fully operational at the front, according to Zelenskyy? No. Zelenskyy stated that the system is still not working at full capacity: the US reduced the speed and then increased it, but it did not return to the previous level. ### Do the AFU use Starlink for strikes on Russian territory? According to Zelenskyy, no — the AFU do not use Starlink for deep strikes on the Russian Federation. He stated that Kyiv had requested SpaceX and the White House to open that possibility. ### For what purposes is Starlink used at the front, according to the president? Zelenskyy named two areas: intercepting jet Shahed drones using high-speed interceptors and hitting military targets in a mid-strike format in occupied territories, including drone-based delivery of water and food.