Nokia and ICEYE, a Finnish microsatellite operator, have collaborated with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to investigate potential space cooperation. The firms have signed a Letter of Intent with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to enhance the nation’s defense capabilities, focusing on the development of independent satellite communications.
The announcement’s timing occurs amidst tense relations between Ukraine and Starlink, who was accused by Ukraine of limiting the military version of its service in the country. Nokia and ICEYE signed the letter on October 22, during Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit.
This month, ICEYE and Nokia announced a collaboration to create secure, sovereign, high-performance broadband low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems for governments, supporting defense, border security, emergency services, and disaster response missions. Nokia claims this partnership relies on “trusted European technology,” and the jointly developed satellite communication systems will provide nations ownership and control of satellites, ground segment, and terminals. “Reliable communications are crucial for national security in modern warfare.” It is essential for us to depend on skills that we have power over. “Zelenskyy stated that the Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Defense, ICEYE, and Nokia is a crucial move in this direction,” said Zelenskyy. “Partners who contribute to Ukraine’s assistance and collaborate with us in establishing Europe’s enduring security are highly appreciated by us.” By signing this Letter of Intent, alongside Ukraine and ICEYE, we aim to investigate the potential of secure, national satellite communications in enhancing Ukraine’s resilience and allowing it to have authority over the connectivity it requires, stated Mikko Hautala, who serves as the chief geopolitical & government relations officer and chairman of Nokia Defense.
Ukraine’s consideration of satellite partnerships apart from Starlink may indicate that the country does not wish to rely excessively on Starlink. Starlink has been a crucial component of Ukraine’s communication systems since the outbreak of the country’s conflict with Russia in 2022.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, numerous Starlink terminals were provided to Ukraine. Nonetheless, it was recently reported by The Wall Street Journal that Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, had instructed the shutdown of Starlink in Ukraine, affecting both offensive and interceptor drones.
Musk had earlier accused Trump of the delay, but Trump informed reporters at the White House last week that neither he nor Musk was accountable for Ukraine losing Starlink access. Additionally, the Ukrainian satellite communications firm Stetman is planning to launch a 360-satellite low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation at an altitude of 213 kilometers in the upcoming year.
Further information can be found in the Telecoms & 5G category. 26 May 2026.
