Ukrainian weapons manufacturer Fire Point says its long-range strike systems can now complete missions without SpaceX satellite connectivity, chief executive Iryna Terekh told Reuters in an interview published on 30 October. The claim covers strikes on targets in Russia and in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.
Reuters’ original article is not linked by either of the write-ups available here — UNITED24 Media and the news agency EADaily, whose site discloses that it uses recommendation technologies based on data about internet users located in the Russian Federation. Every figure below is therefore relayed secondhand, and the attribution for each is given as the outlets stated it.
Terekh was blunt about the limits of the workaround: both outlets report her saying it delivers only 15% to 20% of the capability the company could use with Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, fully operational over Russian territory.
Key facts
- Fire Point, a Ukrainian defence manufacturer, developed technological workarounds to keep its strike capability despite restrictions on satellite communications, according to UNITED24 Media’s account of the Reuters interview.
- The alternative gives 15% to 20% of what would be available with full Starlink coverage over Russia, Terekh said in remarks reported by both UNITED24 Media and EADaily.
- Navigation that does not depend on external signals remains a development priority, UNITED24 Media reported.
- Terekh called for a predictable agreement between the Ukrainian and US governments covering satellite communications, UNITED24 Media reported.
- Fire Point’s FP-7 tactical ballistic missile has a range of roughly 300 kilometres; its first combat use was confirmed on 1 October after about two years of development and roughly $200 million in research and initial production setup, UNITED24 Media said.
Why it matters
The interview puts a number on what losing Starlink costs a user who had built around it: a fifth of normal capability at best, by the manufacturer’s own estimate.
It also lands directly after the 10-day period of restrictions that UNITED24 Media says disrupted drone operations and communications during strike missions. The same outlet reported that SpaceX limited connectivity for Ukrainian drones travelling faster than 160 kilometres per hour during that October window, before higher-speed access was restored. In the same period a US watchdog declined to investigate the slowdowns, and Ukraine has also begun orbiting its own satellites as an alternative.
What Fire Point says it built
“Fire Point systems are designed to finish a mission without a satellite link,” Terekh said in the quote carried by UNITED24 Media. The outlet reports the company’s work splits into two strands: keeping strike systems functional when satellite internet access is cut, and developing navigation that does not rely on external signals at all.
Neither source describes the technology in any further detail, names the suppliers involved, or says how many systems have been fitted with it.
Terekh’s argument to Reuters, as relayed by UNITED24 Media, was that Ukraine’s ability to defend itself should not hinge on restrictions that change frequently — hence her call for a government-to-government arrangement rather than ad hoc terms.
The FP-7 and the question of a kill switch
Beyond the satellite workaround, UNITED24 Media reports that Fire Point is expanding Ukraine’s domestically developed ballistic missile capability. The FP-7 recently made its combat debut against a target in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, and Terekh said it could be used against Russian Iskander ballistic missile launchers, which can relocate before slower Ukrainian strike drones reach them.
She also made a point that echoes the Starlink dispute itself: according to UNITED24 Media, she said building missiles domestically removes the risk of a foreign government remotely disabling the weapons through a technological “kill switch.”
Freyja, the European interceptor
Fire Point is coordinating Freyja, described by UNITED24 Media as a pan-European project to develop an anti-ballistic missile interceptor. The outlet says the FP-7.x Freyja interceptor is being developed with nine other European nations and has been upgraded with a combined infrared and radar seeker intended to hold a lock through bad weather or decoys.
A disputed account of the Flamingo
The two reports part company here. EADaily frames the announcement against what it calls “the funeral of the Flamingo,” saying it had earlier reported that Fire Point officially recognised the complete curtailment of its cruise missile development and production programme, and that management confirmed it does not plan to produce that type of weapon in the foreseeable future.
EADaily goes further, asserting that the Flamingo project — which it says Ukrainian media positioned as an advanced high-precision weapon — “turned out to be a marketing solution initiated primarily to attract the attention of investors.” That characterisation is EADaily’s own. UNITED24 Media’s report does not mention the Flamingo or any cancelled cruise missile programme, and neither source quotes Fire Point responding to the marketing claim.
Readers should weigh the two accounts accordingly: the technical figures on the satellite workaround are common to both, while the Flamingo framing appears in only one.
What is not yet known
Neither source reports any comment from SpaceX on Fire Point’s claims, any explanation from the company for the speed-based restriction in October, or any indication that the agreement Terekh is asking for is under negotiation. The two reports summarised above are the versions of the Reuters interview available here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Fire Point want Starlink coverage over Russia itself?
Terekh told Reuters that unrestricted access could be a potential game changer for strikes against high-value targets, including Russian ballistic missile launchers, according to UNITED24 Media. That is the gap she says the company’s own workaround only partly closes.
When is the Freyja interceptor due to be tested?
Terekh said testing against a simulated target is expected before the end of 2026, followed by an interception of a physical target by mid-2027, UNITED24 Media reported. The outlet said the project aims to expand Europe’s ability to counter ballistic missile threats.
How does Fire Point say the FP-7 compares with using Patriot systems?
According to UNITED24 Media, Terekh said destroying Russian launchers could prevent attacks on Ukrainian cities and would be a more cost-effective defensive option than intercepting incoming missiles with US-made Patriot systems.
How has Fire Point dealt with export controls on components?
UNITED24 Media reported that to overcome tight international export controls, the company has engineered critical components internally. It gave no list of which parts are now made in-house.
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