Letter of intent signed during Finnish visit to Kyiv

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence signed a letter of intent with the Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE on Thursday, 22 October, to explore cooperation on satellite communications in the space sector. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the arrangement during a visit to Kyiv by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would make greater use of Finland's satellite capabilities, which he described as important for the country's defence and resilience. The two companies issued identical statements presenting the partnership as support for Ukraine's defence capabilities while the war with Russia continues. Zelenskyy called the letter an important step toward capabilities that Ukraine can control.

A network Ukraine would control

In early October, Nokia and ICEYE announced a collaboration on broadband satellite communication systems in low Earth orbit, intended for governments. The companies say the systems could support national defence, emergency response and border security missions. Under the plan, states would own and control the satellites, the ground segment and the terminals. ICEYE chief executive Rafal Modrzewski said Ukraine needs secure, sovereign and high-performance satellite communications that it can control, and ICEYE said it has supported Ukraine since 2022. Libertatea reports that such a system would spare Ukraine's army from risking the loss of critical systems because of the decisions of foreign governments.

Nokia's defence chair Mikko Hautala framed the project in a statement:

“Nations need communications they can rely on in every situation.”

He added that satellite networks extend and protect connectivity when ground networks are disrupted.

Starlink access problems

Ukraine relies on SpaceX's Starlink for battlefield communications, drone operations and air defence. On 13 October, Ukrainian officials said sudden restrictions on Starlink services had put the army in difficulty. Ukraine has also accused Starlink of speed limiting that left its defence exposed to Russian drones. Donald Trump said on Thursday that Elon Musk had restored access to Starshield, the military version of the service. A Ukrainian official told The Kyiv Independent that difficulties continued, and a Defence Ministry source told reporters on Friday that cases of signal loss were still being observed. Musk and US government figures have denied responsibility, according to POLITICO, while Libertatea reports that the Trump administration suggested the fault lay with Musk, and Musk pointed to the US president as the final decision-maker.

What remains open

The sources give no timeline, budget or contract value for the satellite network. The Defence Ministry has also reiterated its concerns about Starshield services. Mediafax reports that Zelenskyy agreed with Orpo that Ukraine would use more of Finland's satellite capacity. The Finnish Prime Minister's visit to Kyiv provided the setting for both announcements. None of the articles says when, or whether, the letter will lead to a deployed network.