Beyond Starlink: How Ukraine plans to cut its reliance on Musk's satellite network

Ukraine is exploring the development of its own satellite communications network to reduce its dependence on SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield systems, which have become critical to its military operations against Russia.The move follows restrictions on the satellite services earlier this month that disrupted Ukrainian military communications and drone operations, highlighting the risks of relying on infrastructure controlled by a private company and the US government.The Ukrainian military has signed a letter of intent with Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia and satellite manufacturer ICEYE to explore developing a sovereign satellite communications network that Kyiv would control. The announcement, made on October 22, comes as Ukraine seeks greater control over the communications infrastructure it relies on for battlefield coordination, intelligence and drone warfare, as cited by Space.com.