Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 11 hrs ago
Fire Point says its weapons can operate without Starlink
Ukrainian arms maker Fire Point says its systems can carry out long-range missions without Starlink, including in Russia and Russian-occupied areas.
CEO Iryna Terekh said the systems are designed to complete missions without satellite links and use navigation that needs no outside signal.
The workaround provides only 15% to 20% of the capability available with Starlink, Terekh said, and she did not explain how it works.
The issue matters because Ukraine has relied on Starlink and related equipment for communications and drone operations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in October that connection problems at high speeds disrupted logistics and limited drone use in some areas of the front.
Starlink restrictions were later reported to have made some Ukrainian drones nearly unusable, while Zelenskyy said public attention helped restore service to the required speed.
Fire Point says it can carry out long-range strikes and missions in Russian-occupied territories without Starlink satellite communications.
CEO Iryna Terekh said the company’s systems are designed to complete missions without a satellite link.
She said the solutions provide only about 15-20% of the capabilities available if Starlink worked over Russia.
Terekh declined to disclose details of the solutions.
The statements come amid reported Starlink restrictions affecting Ukrainian drones and logistics.
- Who
- Fire Point, a Ukrainian missile and drone manufacturer, and its CEO, Iryna Terekh.
- What
- The company says its systems can carry out missions without Starlink satellite communications.
- When
- Terekh discussed the systems in an interview during a visit to London in October 2026.
- Where
- The systems are intended for long-range strikes in Russia and missions in Russian-occupied territories.
- Why
- The company prioritises navigation without an external signal and says its systems are designed to complete missions without satellite communications.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Starlink and Starshield equipment had stopped working at speeds of 130-161 km/h in some sectors of the front.
Elon Musk said speed or usage limits were decided by the US military and ultimately the US president.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump had allegedly asked Musk to lift restrictions on Starshield in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said publicity around the connection restrictions had helped restore Starlink’s operation to the required speed.
Terekh’s remarks about Fire Point’s systems were reported.
- Company
- Fire Point
- CEO
- Iryna Terekh
- Reported capability
- About 15-20% of what the systems could do if Starlink worked over Russia
- Reported affected speeds
- 130-161 km/h
- Interview location
- London
3 sources
What people are saying
We have built with this in mind. Fire Point systems are designed to finish a mission without a satellite link. Navigation that works without any external signal is a priority.
We found a way to technologically overcome this challenge, but this only covers probably 15 to 20% of what we could do if the Starlink was working (over Russia).
Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.