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

Nov 25, 2025 07:52 am CST

Ukraine's leading mobile operator Kyivstar has implemented Starlink's direct-to-cell satellite technology, becoming Europe's first to offer this service ensuring critical communications during wartime blackouts and infrastructure disruptions. The partnership between Elon Musk's Starlink and telecommunications group Veon initially provides SMS capabilities with plans to expand to voice and data in 2025, serving 22.5 million mobile users across the war-torn country.