Starlink Deploys Europe's First Direct-to-Cell Satellite Service in Ukraine Amid War Challenges

According to Ukrainian officials, over 50,000 Starlink terminals are currently operational throughout the country.

Ukraine's premier mobile provider Kyivstar has made history by becoming Europe's first to implement Starlink's direct-to-cell satellite technology, ensuring millions maintain connectivity despite wartime power outages and infrastructure damage, the company announced Monday.

Under an agreement between Elon Musk's Starlink and telecommunications group Veon (Kyivstar's parent company), the service initially offers SMS capabilities with plans to expand to voice and data services in the coming year.

"In Ukraine, staying connected means staying safe," emphasized Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov in an official statement, noting that the technology would strengthen network resilience. Kyivstar currently provides mobile services to approximately 22.5 million customers across Ukraine.

The new service enables customers to maintain connectivity on standard 4G smartphones during extended blackouts, in recently liberated territories where ground networks might be damaged or under repair, and during humanitarian and rescue operations.

Komarov explained that the company has already enhanced its network reliability by deploying batteries and generators capable of providing over 10 hours of continuous service when grid power becomes unavailable during extended blackouts.

Throughout nearly four years of conflict, Russian forces have repeatedly targeted Ukraine's power sector and critical infrastructure with numerous drones and missiles, severely compromising electricity generation and distribution capabilities and resulting in prolonged power outages.

Direct-to-cell technology allows standard smartphones to establish connections with orbital satellite networks that transmit telephone signals back to Earth.

Ukraine's military forces heavily depend on Starlink terminals for battlefield communications and certain drone operations. Officials report that more than 50,000 terminals are currently functioning throughout Ukraine.

Starlink delivers internet connectivity via a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites and is widely utilized in remote areas and conflict zones.