Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and Finnish companies ICEYE and Nokia signed a Letter of Intent on October 22, 2026, to develop Ukraine's own secure satellite communications system, with first satellites planned for launch by 2028. This agreement occurred during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's visit to Ukraine.

This initiative aims to end Ukraine's reliance on foreign commercial satellite operators, a dependency highlighted by recent unannounced speed restrictions on Starshield terminals that disrupted military operations. Ukrainian officials state the new system will ensure their control over critical connectivity infrastructure.

What the Records Show

The Letter of Intent signed by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, ICEYE, and Nokia outlines cooperation to create a satellite system under Ukraine's control. Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, stated that Ukraine requires “secure, sovereign and high-performance satellite communications systems that it controls”. Mikko Hautala, Nokia's chief geopolitical and government relations officer and Chairman of Nokia Defense, emphasized the project would give Ukraine “control over the connectivity it depends on”. The partners plan to launch the initial communications satellites into orbit by 2028. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that modern warfare proves reliable communications are a national security matter, requiring capabilities that nations can control.

The Timeline

On October 14, 2026, SpaceX unilaterally implemented speed restrictions on military-grade Starshield terminals used by Ukrainian forces. These restrictions caused terminals operating above 100 miles per hour, or approximately 160-161 kilometers per hour, to lose connectivity. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed these unannounced restrictions led to the disruption of several military missions. Reports indicated drones fell from the sky due to connectivity loss.

On October 22, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Elon Musk had restored full access to Starlink/Starshield services for Ukraine, stating, “The bottom line he put it back”. Trump declined to comment when asked if he had personally asked Musk to lift the restrictions. Media reports from The Wall Street Journal and CNN indicated he had done so.

What Changed and for Whom

The Starshield restrictions severely impeded drone operations, with some reports detailing drones losing connectivity mid-flight. Ukrainian defense ministry sources reported terminals continued to experience connectivity issues at speeds exceeding 160-161 kilometers per hour as of October 23, 2026, despite Trump's claim. This continued disruption underscores Ukraine's vulnerability when relying on external communication providers. The push for a sovereign system is a direct response to these issues, aiming to provide Ukraine with greater operational independence and reliability for its defense communications.

What the Subject Has Said Publicly

Elon Musk publicly stated that Starshield systems are “owned and controlled” by the U.S. government, implying any speed or usage limits are dictated by the U.S. military and ultimately the U.S. President. Anonymous U.S. officials reportedly indicated to Reuters that the decision to limit Starshield speed originated from the White House. Marco Rubio asserted that decisions regarding Starlink access were solely up to SpaceX and Elon Musk, not the White House.

Ukrainian officials disputed President Trump's claims of restored access as of October 23, 2026. Serhii Beskrestnov stated, “We are currently seeing no indication that the Starlink restrictions have been lifted”. A Ukrainian Defense Ministry source told CNN that “there is currently no confirmation that the restrictions have been lifted” and “instances of signal loss are still being observed” for military ordnance traveling above 100 miles per hour. While some sources noted minor improvements in connectivity, full functionality was not confirmed by Ukrainian military personnel.

What We Could Not Confirm

We could not confirm the precise party responsible for initiating the Starshield speed restrictions, with reports attributing the decision to Elon Musk, the U.S. government, or the White House. We also could not confirm whether U.S. President Donald Trump personally requested Elon Musk to lift the restrictions, as Trump declined to comment, though media reports suggested he did. Ukrainian officials' claims of continued restrictions contradict Trump's statement that full access was restored.