After Starshield interruption, Ukraine wants to build its own satellite communication network with ICEYE and Nokia

Ukraine’s military signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The agreement starts an exploration of a sovereign satellite-communications network for Ukraine. “Sovereign” means Ukraine would have greater control over the system it depends on during war. That matters because Ukraine currently relies heavily on services controlled outside the country.

The planned network would focus on secure, high-performance satellite communications. Nokia brings major telecommunications experience and defense expertise. ICEYE brings experience building and operating low-Earth-orbit satellites, including systems supporting Ukraine since 2022. The companies are examining how their capabilities could work together.

This is not yet a completed satellite network. It is a letter of intent to study and develop the concept. The effort follows Nokia and ICEYE’s October 1 plan to help nations create sovereign satcom systems, and it gained urgency after Starshield access was throttled.

Starshield is SpaceX’s military-grade version of Starlink, the company’s large low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation. The article describes Starshield as jamming-resistant, meaning it is designed to keep communications working when an adversary tries to interfere with signals. That makes it especially valuable in a war zone.

Ukraine uses Starlink services and Starshield for satellite-based communications and data. Starshield is particularly important for operating fast-moving drones across long distances in combat areas. Its military role separates it from ordinary public-facing Starlink service, although both are based on SpaceX’s satellite network.

The critical distinction is control. Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government, according to Elon Musk. The U.S. military and ultimately the president decide limits on speed or usage. Ukraine therefore depends on a capability it does not own or control.

The article presents satellite connectivity as a major part of Ukraine’s defense against Russia. Ukraine relies heavily on satellite-based communications and data because Russian ground troops, missiles, and drones continue attacking the country. Its main services come from SpaceX’s Starlink constellation and the military-focused Starshield system.

Starshield has a particularly direct role in combat operations. It allows Ukraine to operate fast-moving drones over large distances in war zones. Ukraine uses drones both offensively and defensively, and the article says it has become very effective at drone warfare. This makes reliable satellite links important for controlling aircraft and exchanging data.

The article gives no fleet size or percentage for Ukraine’s dependence. It does show that the reliance is strategically significant: when Starshield access was throttled, many terminal-carrying drones fell from the sky. That disruption strengthened Ukraine’s interest in a network it could control itself.

On October 14, Ukrainian soldiers and officials reported a severe throttling of Starshield access. The restriction imposed a speed limit on drones carrying Starshield terminals. The result was immediate and serious: many of those drones fell out of the sky.

The article links the crashes to the reduced service available through the terminals. These fast-moving drones depend on satellite communications while operating across large distances in combat zones. If their connection is restricted by a speed limit, their ability to function as intended can be lost. The article does not describe the drones’ flight-control software or every technical step behind each crash.

The throttling apparently remained in effect when the article was published. Responsibility was disputed. Some U.S. officials reportedly blamed Elon Musk, while Musk said Starshield systems are controlled by the U.S. government. The incident reinforced Ukraine’s desire for sovereign communications.

According to Elon Musk, Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. He said the U.S. military decides limits on speed or usage, with ultimate responsibility resting with the president. This makes Starshield a service Ukraine uses but does not govern.

That arrangement gives the United States practical influence over Ukraine’s battlefield connectivity. A decision to restrict speed or access can affect the terminals linking Ukrainian drones and other military operations. The October 14 throttling illustrated this power when many terminal-carrying drones fell from the sky after access was limited.

The article describes a dispute over who ordered the restriction. Some U.S. officials reportedly said Elon Musk ordered it, while Musk assigned responsibility to the Trump administration. Whatever the decision-maker, Ukraine did not make the call. This uncertainty helps explain its push for sovereign satellite communications.

A sovereign Ukrainian satellite-communications system could give Ukraine more dependable control over a capability central to its defense. It could reduce the risk that another government or foreign provider limits service during a crisis. The article presents secure, trusted, and sovereign connectivity as a way to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience.

Nokia is a telecommunications giant and has a defense organization. Its chairman of Nokia Defense said satellite networks can protect connectivity when ground networks are disrupted. ICEYE makes satellites and has experience delivering sovereign missions quickly. It also operates Earth-observing satellites and already supports Ukrainian intelligence and planning.

The companies are exploring the idea, not announcing a finished network. Their October 22 letter of intent follows a Nokia-ICEYE partnership announced October 1. If the work advances, Nokia could help with communications infrastructure, while ICEYE could contribute satellite capabilities and experience supporting sovereign systems.

Low-Earth-orbit satellites provide a communications path above the ground. A user terminal sends data to a satellite, which relays it toward another terminal or a connection to wider networks. Because the satellites move around Earth, a constellation can provide repeated coverage rather than relying on one spacecraft. These technical details are general satellite-communications knowledge; the article focuses on their resilience benefits.

When war damages cables, towers, or other ground infrastructure, satellite links can keep users connected. Satellite networks can also route communications around local outages. Jamming is different: it deliberately interferes with signals. Starshield is described as jamming-resistant, so it is intended to remain more usable under such attacks than ordinary systems.

The article says satellite networks extend and protect connectivity when ground networks are disrupted. That is why Nokia calls them a key part of secure communications. Ukraine’s proposed sovereign system would seek these benefits without leaving control of critical access with a foreign provider.