09:19 11-05-2026

UK Spent $22M on Starlink, Some Sent to Ukraine

Mil.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

UK spent $22.6M on Starlink since 2022, with some terminals sent to Ukraine to support front-line communications, The Telegraph reports.

The United Kingdom has spent more than $22 million on Starlink satellite communications since 2022, with part of the purchased equipment later supplied to Ukraine, where it helped maintain connectivity along the front line. The Telegraph reported the figures, citing data from the UK Ministry of Defence.

According to the newspaper, the ministry allocated $22.6 million over the period to buy terminals and pay for Starlink services. Starlink is the satellite communications system operated by SpaceX, the company owned by American businessman Elon Musk.

The equipment was used in several areas. Some of it supported Ukrainian forces, while another portion was used to provide communications for British service members and sailors operating in remote locations.

The Telegraph noted that Ukraine has received more than 50,000 Starlink terminals in total. The devices are used to access the internet, coordinate military units and control drones. Deliveries came from several sources, including SpaceX directly and Kyiv’s Western allies, among them Poland and the United Kingdom.

The UK Ministry of Defence, however, said Starlink was not being used by the British Army in military operations. According to the ministry, the system is mainly needed so service members can stay in contact with their families in places without stable internet access.

In 2025, Musk described Starlink as the backbone of the Ukrainian army, saying that without access to it, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ front line could collapse.