Ukraine Seeks Alternative Satellite Links as Russia Eyes 2027 Network
WHO:
Kyiv Post - Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU), Ukrainian drone operators, and military communications expert Serhiy “Flash” Beskresnikov are discussed in connection with Ukrainian use of satellite communications.
Kyiv Post - Beskresnikov is an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky on military electronics. He told Euromaidan Press, “I do not confirm or deny this information from the Russians,” adding that such technologies “have long been nothing unique.”
Kyiv Post - Russian military analyst Konstantin Malofeev and Aleksandr Liubimov, director of the Russia-associated Coordination Center for the Assistance of New Russia (CCANR), described reported Ukrainian use of HiSKY terminals.
Kyiv Post - HiSKY is identified as an Israeli company with a British subsidiary, hiSkySat Ltd.; it operates an R&D center at Harwell, Oxfordshire.
UNITED24 Media - Ukrainian lawmaker Fedir Venislavskyi, head of parliament’s defense committee state security subcommittee, said Ukraine had demonstrated experimental interception-system launches and was exploring serial production.
WHAT:
Kyiv Post - SpaceX-associated terminals in Ukraine reportedly stopped working when moving faster than 160 kph (100 mph), disrupting high-speed interceptor drones as well as drone strikes.
Kyiv Post - Starlink and Starshield service was restored to Ukrainian Armed Forces units after October 24, following international reaction and a congressional order for a formal investigation, with hearings scheduled to begin in January.
Kyiv Post - Ukraine paused oil-refinery strikes from October 15 to October 29 after a US request and warnings of possible retaliation, then resumed attacks.
Kyiv Post - Ukrainian strike packages reportedly hit distillation towers and cracking equipment more accurately at refineries in Nizhniy Novogorod, Yaroslavl, and Ryazan; more than two-thirds of the KINEF refinery remained on fire about 12 hours after an attack.
Kyiv Post - Reports said Ukrainian long-range drone forces used HiSKY SmartLight satellite communications as an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink or Starshield.
Kyiv Post - The smallest, lowest-cost HiSKY terminal, Sirius 16x16 Ku, weighs 6 kilograms (13 pounds). Ukrainian media reported its use on drones from mid-October; reports said Russian air defenses shot down the first debris of a HiSKY-equipped drone before the end of that month.
Kyiv Post - DP Defpulse assessed HiSKY use as unconfirmed but highly probable. It reported a 2 Mbps link, compared with 50–250+ Mbps for Starlink or Starshield.
UNITED24 Media - Ukraine conducted three tests of exo-atmospheric interception systems, including launches from high-altitude aircraft, to counter ballistic missiles including Russia’s Oreshnik.
UNITED24 Media - Ukraine and Danish manufacturer GomSpace announced the successful launch of the Obria Nano test satellite. A proposed Ukrainian communications constellation could eventually include approximately 245 satellites.
WHERE:
Kyiv Post - Reported drone strikes targeted Russian oil refineries and infrastructure, including facilities in Samara, Nizhniy Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Krasnodar, Saratov, and near Kirishi in St. Petersburg’s region.
UNITED24 Media - The Progress Rocket and Space Centre in Samara, which manufactures Soyuz-2 launch vehicles, was among facilities Ukraine targeted.
WHY:
Kyiv Post - White House officials said attacks on Russia’s energy sector were driving up US gasoline prices; the White House warned it might retaliate against Ukraine if the strikes continued.
Kyiv Post - Reports attributed the shift toward HiSKY to restrictions on Starlink coverage over Russia and concerns that SpaceX service could be politically limited.
UNITED24 Media - Ukraine’s interceptor development and satellite efforts are intended to strengthen independent defense and communications capabilities amid concerns about Starlink reliability.
HOW:
Kyiv Post - HiSKY reportedly transfers data through concentrated beams and automatically switches between geostationary satellites when a signal degrades, making jamming difficult. Its lower data capacity can support drone course corrections but not the visual piloting enabled by Starlink’s higher bandwidth.
UNITED24 Media - Venislavskyi said, “We’ve already demonstrated launches of exo-atmospheric systems and we are working to see if we can get that in production.” He cited funding as a major obstacle.
(UPDATED November 10, 2026 13:02 UTC)
Ukraine is reportedly exploring HiSKY satellite links for drones amid Starlink restrictions disrupting operations. Kyiv has demonstrated experimental systems designed to intercept ballistic missiles. Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries.
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(UPDATED November 10, 2026 10:00 UTC)
Ukraine is exploring alternative satellite links for long-range drones as Starlink reliability concerns grow. Reports suggest HiSKY terminals, but battlefield use remains unconfirmed. Ukraine also tested missile interceptors and launched a communications satellite.