On October 22, 2026, an important event took place in Kyiv: Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE signed a letter of intent with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The aim of the agreement is to create a sovereign satellite communication system that will ensure Ukraine's control over critical communication resources.
The Need for Sovereign Satellite Communication
ICEYE's CEO Rafal Modzewski emphasized that Ukraine needs secure, sovereign, and high-performance satellite communication systems. According to him, the company has a proven track record in rapidly executing sovereign missions that facilitate the creation of such capabilities.
Advantages of the New System
The jointly developed systems will grant Ukraine ownership of:
- satellites;
- ground segments;
- terminals.
This will allow Ukrainian troops on the front lines to maintain access to critical systems, regardless of changes in the policies of other countries, which is particularly relevant in light of the restrictions imposed on the operation of Starlink satellite communication by SpaceX.