ICEYE and Nokia partner with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to develop sovereign satcom capability

NOKIAPress release2026-10-22 19:52

Helsinki, Finland – October 22, 2026 – ICEYE, the European leader in sovereign intelligence from space, and Nokia, a global leader in connectivity infrastructure, today signed a Letter of Intent with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, to explore cooperation in space. The partnership aims to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities, particularly in building sovereign satellite communications.

The shared intent was announced on 22 October 2026 during the visit of the Prime Minister of Finland to Ukraine.

Earlier this month, ICEYE and Nokia announced a partnership to develop secure, sovereign and high-performance broadband low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications systems for governments, supporting missions from defense and border security to emergency services and disaster response. Built on trusted European technology, the jointly developed satellite communications systems will give nations ownership and control of satellites, ground segment and terminals.

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."

About ICEYE

ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.
ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.
ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defense and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.
Natively European, founded in Finland. ICEYE operates globally with over 1,500 employees.

Media contact: press@iceye.com

About Nokia

Nokia is a global leader in connectivity infrastructure, enabling the AI supercycle. We build networks that connect intelligence and deliver a comprehensive connectivity solution across fixed, mobile, IP, optical, core, and data center networks. With security by design, AI-driven innovation, and AI-optimized architecture, Nokia delivers trusted infrastructure that enables AI to scale and advances connectivity to secure a brighter world.

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