Ukraine war: Starlink malfunction again – Kiev uses alternative from Israel

Tel Aviv, Berlin. After the repeated failures of the US satellite internet Starlink, Ukraine is increasingly relying on an alternative from the Israeli company HiSky. Their six-kilogram satellite terminals are now being installed in Ukrainian drones and used for control and target selection, as HiSky employees confirmed to Handelsblatt.

The company from the area around the tech metropolis Tel Aviv does not have its own satellite constellation like Starlink operator SpaceX, but rather uses satellites from third-party providers such as Eutelsat. Their terminals are less powerful than those of their US competitors, but they work reliably. HiSky says it has delivered more than 7,500 terminals worldwide.

At a drone trade fair in Tel Aviv on Thursday, HiSky's stand was an attraction. “This is the system that the Ukrainians are using now,” commented one trade fair guest. The Ukrainian government has not officially confirmed the operation, and HiSky boss Erez Antebi did not want to comment on it when asked by Handelsblatt. But he didn't deny the mission either. All employees were instructed not to answer questions about Ukraine.