Ukraine and Finnish firms plan Ukrainian-owned satellite network
A letter of intent with ICEYE and Nokia comes amid Starlink disruptions that a Ukrainian official said had not been fully resolved.
A satellite communications network owned by Ukraine is the goal of a partnership formalized on Oct. 22, when the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and Finnish technology companies ICEYE and Nokia signed a letter of intent.
The signing followed an announcement by President Volodymyr Zelensky during a Kyiv visit by Petteri Orpo, Finland’s prime minister. Zelensky described the agreement as important to Ukraine’s defense and resilience.
Ukraine depends on SpaceX’s Starlink service for communications on the battlefield, strikes by mid-range drones and air defense. Its service suffered persistent disruptions for a week. U.S. President Donald Trump said normal speeds and full functionality had returned, but a Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that restrictions continued.
Several weeks before the agreement with Ukraine, ICEYE and Nokia outlined a joint effort to develop government broadband networks using satellites in low Earth orbit. The companies said countries would own the satellites as well as the ground infrastructure and terminals. Planned uses include defense, border security and emergency response.
ICEYE CEO Rafal Modrzewski said Ukraine needed secure satellite communications that it could control. Mikko Hautala, chairman of Nokia Defense, said the project would put Ukraine in control of connectivity on which it depends.
