in ukraine’s northeastern provinces, near the front lines where mobile networks have collapsed, such moments of connection are rare. the ability to send a simple message or photo confirming one’s safety is invaluable. as phones rang and calls were answered, conversations flowed—along with tears.
a lifeline for communities
“it’s impossible to overstate how much of a difference this makes in people’s lives—giving them a brief sense of normalcy,” says ada wordsworth, director of kharpp, a charity focused on rebuilding homes in ukraine. in 2023, she and her team brought a starlink terminal to one such village.
over the past two years, kharpp has funded and deployed six starlink terminals across ukraine, enabling displaced communities to stay connected, helping children access online lessons, and allowing doctors to retrieve medical records. however, wordsworth has no plans to invest in more. “it’s not a wise investment,” she explains. “they could be shut off at any moment.”
from the early days of the war, ukraine has relied heavily on starlink, and concerns have long existed about the country potentially losing access—especially given the unpredictable decisions of spacex’s ceo, elon musk. with musk now aligned with the incoming u.s. administration, which is pushing for an end to the conflict, the uncertainty has grown.
since russia’s 2022 invasion, starlink has been essential for both military and civilian operations, providing battlefield communications, enabling encrypted military networks, and facilitating coordination of maneuvers, drone operations, and artillery fire. “it has been a game-changer, making battlefield communications far more resilient,” says chris quilty, co-ceo of space research firm quilty analytics.
despite developing alternative communication methods—such as fiber-optic tethered drones and mobile phones mounted on poles to detect enemy drones—starlink remains central to ukraine’s strategy. “losing it now would be catastrophic,” wordsworth warns.
exploring alternatives
for years, ukrainian officials have hinted at exploring starlink alternatives, but viable options remain limited.
the most frequently discussed alternative is oneweb, a satellite communications network owned by eutelsat, a french satellite operator. like starlink, oneweb relies on ground-based terminals and operates a constellation of about 630 low-earth-orbit satellites, offering high-speed connectivity with minimal latency.
eutelsat spokesperson joanna darlington confirms that oneweb has some presence in ukraine but declined to share specifics. with reports indicating that over 40,000 starlink terminals are currently active in ukraine, transitioning to oneweb would not be immediate. “it’s possible, but it’s not instant coffee,” darlington says.
oneweb terminals, supplied by third-party manufacturers, are available for deployment, but funding remains an obstacle. “we have stocks of terminals,” darlington notes, “but someone has to pay for them.”
currently, ukraine’s access to starlink has been supported by poland, usaid, and other international donors. discussions are ongoing with the european union about expanding oneweb’s presence in ukraine.
challenges with oneweb
despite its potential, oneweb has limitations. barry evans, a professor of information systems engineering at the university of surrey, notes that setting up a oneweb terminal is more complex than starlink. “we have one at the university, and onboarding is a complicated process,” he says. additionally, oneweb terminals are bulkier and less mobile, making them harder to use in battlefield conditions. “they’re better suited for fixed locations, like buildings,” he adds.
another significant barrier is cost. “a oneweb terminal costs thousands of dollars, compared to a few hundred for starlink,” quilty explains. yet, at present, oneweb is the only immediately available alternative.
future options
other potential alternatives exist, but they are not yet operational.
- amazon’s project kuiper, a starlink competitor, is set to launch its first satellites later this year, with plans for a 3,000+ satellite network. however, as a u.s. company, it could be subject to the same geopolitical pressures as spacex.
- the european union’s iris2 satellite constellation is in development but is not expected to be operational until 2030. with only 300 planned satellites, its coverage and speed will be limited compared to starlink’s existing 7,000 satellites, which could grow to over 40,000.
a wake-up call
despite doubts about spacex’s willingness to cut off ukraine’s access, analysts see this uncertainty as a wake-up call for nations dependent on starlink. “this situation highlights the risks of relying on a single private company for critical infrastructure,” says andrew cavalier, a space tech analyst at abi research. governments worldwide may now prioritize developing sovereign satellite communication networks.
for ukraine, however, no clear alternative exists today.
with russia intensifying its attacks, wordsworth describes growing despair among frontline communities. many residents have nowhere else to go.
when asked what she would say to elon musk, she responds:
“this isn’t a game. it’s not about power or personal grievances. these are real people’s lives.”