Ukraine is in desperate need of a new satellite internet service, but a fast and reliable alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink network simply doesn't exist - yet. Last week's sudden slowdown of the service in Ukraine, which affected Kyiv's ability to defend itself from Russian attacks, has shown how vulnerable the country can be, and sharply increased Europe's urgency to have its own military-grade satellite network. There are a few alternatives, but they are all lagging behind Starlink, which is the world's largest satellite constellation.
France's Eutelsat, with its OneWeb internet service, is the main alternative - but it only has about 600 active satellites, compared with Starlink's 10,000-plus. The EU is working on a new network to rival Starlink, Iris², however it won't be up and running until 2029. For Ukraine's troops on the ground, several of whom spoke anonymously to the BBC, reliable connectivity is the difference between life and death.
"God forbid they shut it off completely, it would be an absolute catastrophe," said one. "I don't give a damn how much an alternative costs when our lives are on the line." For now, Ukraine's best bet is to join Govsatcom, the EU's satellite sharing network - but it cannot be used for military warfare like controlling drones. That vulnerability was highlighted by Musk himself on Saturday when he accused Ukraine of violating Starlink's terms of service by using it for "drone strikes to kill people".
Saying that loophole was closed last week, he wrote on X: "Violation of those terms will result in end of service." He added: "Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately". Why is Starlink internet so important on the battlefield in Ukraine? Who actually controls Ukraine's access to Starlink?
Starlink and its military-grade service, Starshield, are both owned by Musk's SpaceX company and have dominated the global satellite market for years. Ukraine relies on Starlink for communications on the battlefield and Starshield for military purposes like drone warfare. The network is able to provide fast, real-time connectivity, which is crucial for defence and intercepting Russian attacks.
"You can't employ drone warfare without this kind of high-speed internet connection," said Vincent Tourret, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations. Last week's slowdown, which has only just been restored, highlighted the risks of relying on a US provider at a time when tensions between Kyiv and Washington continue to deteriorate. "Ukraine's defence cannot depend on Trump's or Musk's whims," French MEP, Christophe Grudler, tweeted.
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