Ukraine Regains High-Speed Satellite Links

Ukraine confirmed that its military satellite links are fully operational, ending a disruption that lasted more than seven days. The outage had slowed drone strikes on Russian positions. Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara announced the restoration on Saturday.

Khmara stated that Starlink and Starshield signals remained stable on equipment traveling at speeds exceeding 400 kilometres per hour. He attributed the fix to discussions with the United States and diplomatic efforts by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine relies on these satellite systems for communications and drone missions.

The identity of the party that ordered the restrictions remains unclear. US President Donald Trump denied responsibility for the decision while defending Elon Musk. The incident added tension to relations between Kyiv and Washington. Those ties were already strained by Trump's agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel and allow US imports.

Tensions rose earlier this month when Trump called for a new Ukrainian president. On Monday, he suggested that a different official should lead negotiations for Kyiv. These exchanges followed a public confrontation between the two leaders at the White House in February 2025.

The service restoration coincides with efforts by the United States to revive peace talks. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the US are scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi in early November. This will be the first major meeting more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the planned talks on Friday.

Trump also claimed credit for a local ceasefire in Oleshky, a town in the Kherson region occupied by Russia since 2022. Ukrainian and Russian officials later set the ceasefire start date for October 27. A humanitarian operation is planned for October 29.

Fighting continued while diplomatic efforts progressed. A Russian missile strike on Lozova in the Kharkiv region killed one man and wounded two others on Saturday. In Chernihiv, an attack on Friday killed one man and wounded at least 25 people. In Donetsk, shelling in Kramatorsk killed one person and wounded six, including three children. A 62-year-old woman died in Sloviansk, where four others were injured.

Ukraine reported strikes inside Russia on Friday and into Saturday. Targets included the Togliattikauchuk petrochemical plant in Togliatti and the Proton electronics plant in Oryol. Regional authorities reported power cuts in Russian-occupied Crimea. Russia's Defence Ministry said it intercepted a SCALP cruise missile, four Neptune missiles, and 1,297 fixed-wing drones over 24 hours.