Ukraine’s Starlink reliance exposes Europe’s gap in military satellite coverage
Starlink’s sudden slowdown in Ukraine, which disrupted the country’s ability to defend against Russian attacks, has highlighted how heavily its forces depend on a satellite network controlled by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The episode has increased pressure on Europe to build a military-grade alternative, but no current option matches Starlink’s speed and reach.
Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications and Starshield for military tasks such as drone warfare, where rapid data links can be crucial. France’s Eutelsat OneWeb has about 600 active satellites, compared with more than 10,000 in Starlink’s constellation, while the EU’s planned Iris² network is not expected to operate until 2029. The EU’s Govsatcom sharing scheme is a nearer-term option, but cannot support military warfare such as controlling drones; it also remains unclear who authorised the recent Starlink restrictions.
In short
- Ukraine’s battlefield communications rely heavily on Starlink.
- OneWeb has about 600 satellites; Starlink has over 10,000.
- The EU’s Iris² network is not expected until 2029.
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The case for
The disruption shows that relying on a privately controlled network for essential battlefield communications can leave Ukraine exposed to decisions it does not control. Europe has reason to accelerate a military-grade alternative, giving governments more dependable access to communications and greater strategic autonomy, even if building one takes time and substantial investment.
The case against
Starlink currently offers a scale and speed that European systems cannot match, and Ukraine needs reliable communications now as well as in the future. A rapid push to replace it could divert resources from nearer-term support and create a false sense of security: Europe’s alternatives are years away or cannot handle key military uses, so strengthening access to existing networks may be the more practical priority.
Explained simply
Satellite communications use orbiting spacecraft to connect people and equipment where ground networks are unavailable or damaged. Ukraine’s forces use SpaceX’s Starlink service for battlefield communications, and the related Starshield service for military tasks including links with drones; both are controlled by Elon Musk’s company.
Europe has several satellite projects, but none currently matches Starlink’s scale and reach. Eutelsat OneWeb operates about 600 satellites, and the EU’s planned Iris² network is not expected to be ready until 2029. The EU’s Govsatcom scheme lets governments share satellite capacity, but it cannot support military uses such as controlling drones.
The issue matters because reliable communications can affect how armed forces coordinate and respond. Ukraine’s reliance on a network controlled by a private company has also focused attention on Europe’s ability to provide satellite services for its own security needs.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Why is Ukraine so reliant on Starlink and can Europe plug the gap?”.