Nokia, ICEYE to help Ukraine with satellites
October 26, 2026

By Chris Forrester



Finnish tech giants have announced a plan to help Ukraine build its own sovereign satellite system. Finland-based ICEYE and Nokia have signed a letter of intent with Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, formalising a partnership aimed at developing Ukraine’s own satellite communications system.

The plan will not be achieved overnight but is a major step forward and could, in time, allow Ukraine to sidestep dependency on SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield satellite systems.


“Ukraine needs secure, sovereign, and high-performance satellite communications systems that it controls,” commented ICEYE CEO Rafal Modrzewski. “We have a proven track record of delivering sovereign missions at speed to help build that capability. ICEYE has proudly supported Ukraine since 2022, and we remain committed to continuing that support today.”

Nokia Defense Chairman Mikko Hautala echoed the sentiment, saying the project would give Ukraine “control over the connectivity it depends on.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky first announced the deal during Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s visit to Kyiv on October 22nd, calling the satellite agreement “important for our defence and for the resilience of Ukraine.”

The agreement with Kyiv comes a few weeks after Nokia and ICEYE announced plans to collaborate on building “broadband low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications systems for governments.” These systems will support national defense, emergency response services, and border security, among other applications.

The jointly developed systems that ICEYE and Nokia want to create, however, would give nations ownership over their satellites, ground segment, and terminals, the companies said. Ukrainian forces on the front lines would therefore not lose access to mission-critical systems due to the shifting whims of foreign governments.