Ukraine plans independent satellite system as Starlink issues persist

Ukraine has announced it plans to build an independent satellite communications system, as it reported that issues affecting the United States-operated Starshield system continue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday that his country has agreed to partner with Finnish firms to develop the system. The same day, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence complained of lingering issues with Starshield military services.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that tech mogul Elon Musk had restored access to the satellite internet service, which plays a key role in Kyiv’s war effort and air defences.

Ukraine has been exploring its military defence options as Russian attacks have intensified in recent months, and questions over the Trump administration’s support have risen.

Zelenskyy reported on Friday that he had agreed with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo that “[Ukraine] will use more of Finland’s satellite capabilities. This is important for our defence, for Ukraine’s 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,” Zelenskyy added.

The Finnish companies signed a letter of intent with the Ukrainian Defence Ministry during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s visit to Kyiv on Thursday, the DPA news agency reported.

ICEYE Chief Executive Officer Rafal Modrzewski said in a statement that Ukraine needed a secure satellite communications system that it controls. The company said its satellites provide reconnaissance data regardless of weather or time of day.

On October 13, Ukrainian officials announced that sudden restrictions on Starlink services had left the country’s military scrambling. Although the system came back online, connectivity has reportedly remained spotty.

Questions have persisted about where the decision to restrict access came from, with Musk and Trump administration officials trading blame. The restrictions came amid a deepening feud between Trump and Zelenskyy, with Trump instead exploring talks with Putin.

A source in the Ukrainian Defence Ministry told reporters on Friday that “instances of signal loss are still being observed” regarding Starshield, the military arm of Musk’s Starlink system.

The role of the system has become increasingly central to Ukraine’s defence against the Russian invasion.

The four-and-a-half-year war has become dominated by drone warfare. Ukraine recently launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia in one of Kyiv’s largest aerial attacks in the war, while Starshield is also key to defences as Russia rains bombs on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine daily.