Media outlets report that Ukrainian and European companies are planning to establish a satellite network aimed at collecting data along the border with the Russian Federation.
According to the publication Space News, a consortium comprising Ukrainian, Northern European, and Eastern European firms anticipates raising over 100 million euros (115 million dollars) to fund the creation of a satellite group consisting of more than 70 spacecraft. These satellites are intended for gathering intelligence along Russia`s border.
Reportedly, this constellation, dubbed Intermarsat, will include over 70 small satellites operating in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers. Its coverage is expected to span several nations, from Finland and Estonia in the north down to Bulgaria in the south.
Proponents of the project are looking to secure funding from private companies by the close of 2026 and deploy the satellites by the end of the decade. The project head informed the publication that fundraising efforts are set to begin in the coming weeks but refrained from disclosing the names of the companies involved.
Russia maintains that the supply of weapons to Ukraine impedes the resolution of the conflict and directly draws NATO countries into it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has remarked that any cargo containing weaponry for Ukraine would be considered a legitimate target by Russia. The Kremlin has also stated that the West`s provision of weapons to Ukraine is not conducive to negotiations and will have a negative impact.
