Why is Ukraine so reliant on Starlink and can Europe plug the gap?
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.
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.
It will be a defence-first programme, the European Commission says, with a focus on governments, military and emergency services, and a highly produced video on the EU Space Policy's website declares: So does that mean Ukraine could switch off Starlink?
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.
While Starlink has been one of Ukraine's greatest assets in this conflict, the flipside of that dependence has been exposed, explained Kari Bingen, director of the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS.
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.
Starlink's are relatively small and lightweight, so they can be fixed to any kind of vehicle or drone.
Who authorised the Starlink restrictions is still not clear, with a confusing blame-game ongoing between the Pentagon, Donald Trump and Musk.
It will still have far fewer satellites than Starlink, with 348 across low and medium earth orbit - but that shouldn't be seen as a negative, said Kari Bingen.
What happened
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.
What changed
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.
Who is affected
It will be a defence-first programme, the European Commission says, with a focus on governments, military and emergency services, and a highly produced video on the EU Space Policy's website declares: So does that mean Ukraine could switch off Starlink?
Why it matters
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.
While Starlink has been one of Ukraine's greatest assets in this conflict, the flipside of that dependence has been exposed, explained Kari Bingen, director of the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS.
Technical details
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.
Response
Starlink's are relatively small and lightweight, so they can be fixed to any kind of vehicle or drone.
What security teams should do
Who authorised the Starlink restrictions is still not clear, with a confusing blame-game ongoing between the Pentagon, Donald Trump and Musk.
It will still have far fewer satellites than Starlink, with 348 across low and medium earth orbit - but that shouldn't be seen as a negative, said Kari Bingen.
What remains unknown
Who authorised the Starlink restrictions is still not clear, with a confusing blame-game ongoing between the Pentagon, Donald Trump and Musk.
Attribution
BBC News: 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.
What to watch next
Watch for additional victim details, indicators of compromise and follow-on exploitation reports.
Watch for revised vendor guidance, fixed versions and mitigation updates.