# Why is Ukraine so reliant on Starlink, and can Europe fill the gap?

https://mins.news/en/item/114512

- BBC News, 2026-10-25 05:45 UTC
- Tech
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c65yn97xe7ypo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> Ukraine urgently needs another satellite internet service, but no fast and reliable alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink exists yet. A recent slowdown affected Kyiv’s ability to defend against Russian attacks and heightened Europe’s drive to build its own military-grade satellite network. The EU’s Govsatcom sharing system is a possible near-term option, but cannot support military operations such as controlling drones; the Iris² network is not expected to operate until 2029.

## Related coverage

- [Ukraine restores ‘stable’ Starlink connection, Kyiv says](https://mins.news/en/video/113983) — euronews, 2026-10-24
- [Ukraine partners with Nokia and ICEYE in search for Starlink alternative](https://mins.news/en/item/113253) — CNBC, 2026-10-23
- [Ukraine learns to fight without Starlink as Musk brings politics to satellites](https://mins.news/en/item/112668) — Ars Technica, 2026-10-23