# Ukraine MoD Explores Sovereign LEO SATCOM

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence signed a non-binding letter of intent with ICEYE and Nokia to explore a government-controlled low-Earth-orbit satellite communications capability. The concept includes government ownership and control of satellites, ground infrastructure, and user terminals, with the first satellite planned for launch in 2028. The letter is **not an order or funded procurement**, so it signals a potential future market rather than a current contract opportunity.

- The proposed architecture could create future needs for satellite platforms, secure networking, ground systems, and user equipment; ICEYE and Nokia are the named prospective contributors.
- Contractors should treat this as early-stage market intelligence, not an active solicitation or confirmed award, and avoid assuming funding or a procurement schedule beyond the planned 2028 first launch.
- The emphasis on sovereign control points to government ownership and control as central considerations for companies positioning secure SATCOM capabilities for Ukraine.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** October 23, 2026

### Government Entities
- Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (MoD)
- Government of Finland

### Vendors
- ICEYE (Proposed satellite-platform provider)
- Nokia (Proposed secure networking technology contributor)

### Key Quotes
> 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.
> — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

### Sources
- [Kyiv eyes purchase of planned ICEYE, Nokia 'sovereign' communication sats - Breaking Defense](https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/kyiv-eyes-purchase-of-planned-iceye-nokia-sovereign-communication-sats) - Breaking Defense