Ukraine plans independent satellite system as Starlink issues persist
Ukraine has announced plans to build an independent satellite communications system, partnering with Finnish firms as issues persist with the US-operated Starshield service.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday that his country has agreed to partner with Finnish firms to develop an independent satellite communications system. The same day, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence reported ongoing issues with Starshield military services, which plays a key role in Kyiv's war effort and air defenses.
Finnish Partnership
During Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's visit to Kyiv on Thursday, Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE signed a letter of intent with the Ukrainian Defence Ministry. Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine will use more of Finland's satellite capabilities, emphasizing its importance for defense and resilience.
We agreed on this with Nokia and ICEYE. Thank you for the willingness to support our logistics and energy sector – these are key targets for Russia right now.
Starshield Problems
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Elon Musk had restored access to the satellite internet service, but Ukrainian officials reported that sudden restrictions on October 13 left the military scrambling. A source in the Ukrainian Defence Ministry told reporters that "instances of signal loss are still being observed" regarding Starshield.
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