ICEYE and Nokia have signed a letter of intent with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to explore building sovereign satellite communications for the country, a step President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said is about capabilities Ukraine can control, according to the companies.
The letter was announced on 22 October during the Finnish Prime Minister’s visit to Ukraine. ICEYE and Nokia announced a partnership earlier in October to develop broadband low Earth orbit systems that give governments ownership and control of the satellites, ground segment and terminals.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, said:
“Modern warfare has proven that reliable communications are a matter of national security. We must all rely on capabilities that we can control. The Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Defense, ICEYE, and Nokia is an important step in this direction. I thank Finland and the Prime Minister of Finland for their consistent support. We value partners who not only help Ukraine, but also work with us to build Europe’s long-term security.”
Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and Co-founder of ICEYE, said: “Ukraine needs secure, sovereign and high-performance satellite communications systems that it controls. We have a proven track record of delivering sovereign missions at speed to help build that capability. ICEYE has proudly supported Ukraine since 2022, and we remain committed to continuing that support today.”
Mikko Hautala, Chief Geopolitical & Government Relations Officer, and Chairman, Nokia Defense, said: “Nations need communications they can rely on in every situation. Satellite networks extend and protect connectivity when networks on the ground are disrupted. This makes them a key part of any secure communications system.
Through this Letter of Intent, together with Ukraine and ICEYE, we will explore how trusted, sovereign satellite communications can strengthen Ukraine’s resilience and give it control over the connectivity it depends on.”
