Ukraine is moving ahead with a homegrown satellite network, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday, while Kyiv says problems with the US-operated Starshield system are still continuing.
Zelenskyy said his country had agreed to work with Finnish companies on the project. On the same day, the defence ministry raised concerns about unresolved faults in Starshield‘s military services. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said technology executive Elon Musk had restored access to the satellite internet service, which Kyiv relies on for its war effort and air defences.
Finnish firms to provide satellite capacity for Kyiv
After speaking with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will make greater use of Finland’s satellite capabilities. He called this important for the country’s defence and resilience.
Zelenskyy also named Nokia and ICEYE as partners and thanked Finland for its readiness to support Ukraine’s logistics and energy sectors, which he described as key targets for Russia at present.
A letter of intent was signed between the Finnish companies and Ukraine’s Defence Ministry during Orpo’s visit to Kyiv on Thursday. ICEYE chief executive Rafal Modrzewski said in a statement that Ukraine needs a secure communications network under its own control. The company added that its satellites deliver reconnaissance data in any weather and at any hour.
Starlink restrictions, signal loss and blame
Ukrainian officials said on October 13 that sudden limits on Starlink services had left the military scrambling. Although the service came back online, connectivity has reportedly remained patchy.
Questions remain over who ordered the restrictions, with Musk and Trump administration officials blaming each other. The move came amid a deepening feud between Trump and Zelenskyy, while Trump has been exploring talks with Putin.
A source in the Ukrainian Defence Ministry told reporters on Friday that “instances of signal loss are still being observed” involving Starshield, the military arm of Musk’s Starlink system.
Drone warfare raises stakes for satellite links
Ukraine has been weighing its defence options as Russian attacks have intensified in recent months, and doubts about the Trump administration’s support have grown. The satellite system has become increasingly central to the country’s defence against the Russian invasion.
The four-and-a-half-year war is now dominated by drone warfare. Ukraine recently launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia in one of its largest aerial attacks of the conflict, while Starshield remains key as Russia bombs Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine daily.
