Europe Builds Starlink Alternatives After Ukrainian Drones Hit Connectivity Limits
After Starlink restrictions disrupted Ukrainian drone operations, European satellite and telecom firms are working with Kyiv on independent military communications. Finnish companies ICEYE and Nokia are developing a new satellite system for Ukraine, with first launches planned for 2028, while France’s Eutelsat positions itself for a bigger role.
Operational problems for Ukrainian drones have pushed European space and telecom companies to accelerate their own secure communications plans.
European satellite firms are trying to reduce reliance on Elon Musk’s Starlink network for battlefield links after restrictions on the service disrupted Ukrainian drone operations. According to reporting on industry moves, Ukrainian forces have been using Starlink heavily to control unmanned systems and to transmit data from the front.
Finnish satellite operator ICEYE and Finnish telecoms group Nokia have now partnered with Ukraine to develop an independent satellite communications capability. The system is meant to support Ukraine’s military and is expected to see initial launches in 2028. French operator Eutelsat, which already provides services in Ukraine, is also positioning itself to capture more of the demand for secure, non‑US connectivity.
Ukrainian units rely on drones for reconnaissance and strikes along the front, and on satellite links to move targeting data and keep command networks running when other communications are jammed or destroyed. When access to Starlink is narrowed or its functions are limited, those drones lose range or become harder to use in certain areas, directly affecting day‑to‑day tactics.
For European governments, the experience has underlined a wider vulnerability: critical wartime communications now often depend on private infrastructure controlled abroad. Supporting a Ukrainian‑tailored satellite system gives Kyiv more control over its own networks and helps Europe develop alternatives that aren’t tied to a single US provider.
ICEYE already supplies Ukraine with radar satellite imagery, so expanding into communications deepens an existing military‑technical relationship. Nokia brings experience in building robust terrestrial networks and integrating them with other systems, which Ukraine needs to connect satellite links to field units and command posts.
Eutelsat, active in Ukraine before this push, is positioning its existing satellites and future capacity to serve government and defence clients that want more options in orbit.
The main constraint is time. Ukraine needs resilient connectivity now, but the Finnish‑Ukrainian project’s first launches are not expected until 2028. Until then, Kyiv will continue to lean on Starlink and a mix of other commercial services, while Europe works through the design, financing and regulatory steps needed for new constellations.
Signals to watch will be concrete contracts and technical details from the ICEYE–Nokia–Ukraine partnership, any new defence‑focused offerings from Eutelsat in the Ukrainian market, and whether NATO or EU states adopt clearer standards for how commercial satellite systems are used in combat.
Sources
- OSINT