Satellite communication restrictions affect Ukrainian military

Ukrainian forces encountered restrictions on satellite communications during the night of October 13 to 14, affecting devices used for military operations, including medium-range strike drones and interceptors.

Restrictions limit terminal movement speed

The restrictions reportedly limited the speed of movement of satellite terminals to about 160 km/h, though Internet bandwidth was not affected. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported that the service was restored on October 15.

U.S. authorities control Starshield usage

Elon Musk has stated that limitations on Starshield, a satellite communication service, are determined by U.S. military authorities and, ultimately, the U.S. President. Reuters reported that the restriction order originated from the White House.

Starshield operates under a special framework

Starshield is governed by a specific military and contractual framework, which means its control conditions cannot be directly compared to those of typical business software. This highlights the broader principle that a provider's willingness to serve a client does not ensure the right to do so.

Civil restrictions have historical precedents

Civilian restrictions have occurred before, such as the U.S. Treasury’s 2024 announcement of sanctions targeting information technology and software services supplied to Russia. These restrictions included support and cloud services related to enterprise management and design software.

GitHub’s compliance with U.S. sanctions

GitHub restricted access for Iranian developers in 2019 to comply with U.S. sanctions, but later obtained a license allowing full service restoration in 2021. These examples show that access to digital services can depend on government decisions, though they do not predict similar actions against European companies.

Software as a service creates dependencies

For companies using Software as a Service (SaaS), the interruption of critical functions like CRM or messaging can disrupt daily operations. This highlights the importance of business continuity planning and understanding the risks associated with reliance on external services.

Data location and legal dependencies matter

A company’s ability to use its data depends not only on where the data is stored but also on the legal framework of the provider and the technical infrastructure. Even with a local data center, other factors like legal obligations and technical dependencies must be considered.

Three key questions for digital sovereignty

Three critical questions must be addressed: who can access the data, who can restrict the service, and how to change providers. These relate to confidentiality, availability, and reversibility. The choice of service providers and their control mechanisms must be evaluated carefully.

Building digital sovereignty through alternatives

Digital sovereignty involves both protecting information and maintaining the ability to work. This includes exploring alternatives to dominant software and infrastructure solutions, ensuring they meet functional, security, and deployment requirements. Public and private investments support the development of such alternatives.