ICEYE Satellites Enable Near Real-Time Monitoring of Invaders in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Defense Forces have the ability to monitor the movements of Russian troops almost in real-time, thanks to satellites from the company ICEYE.

ICEYE founder Rafał Modrzewski revealed this in an interview with Polish journalist Patrycja Wyciszkiewicz.

According to him, the company’s technology allows for capturing up to 20–24 images of a single target within a 24-hour period. This provides continuous monitoring of the situation and enables rapid detection of changes on the battlefield.

“Essentially, we observe troop movements almost in real-time. Both Ukrainian intelligence and the Ukrainian military utilize these capabilities – they receive the images, analyze them, and make appropriate decisions,” said Modrzewski.

ICEYE owns the world’s largest commercial constellation of satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). These satellites can capture any point on Earth with a resolution of 25 centimeters, regardless of weather conditions or time of day.

According to Modrzewski, ICEYE satellites were assisting Ukraine even before the full-scale invasion in 2022. In particular, they tracked the buildup of Russian troops and the movement of equipment from deep within Russia to the Ukrainian border.

Modrzewski also noted that in February 2025, the United States had temporarily restricted Ukraine’s access to certain satellite data, specifically from Maxar and Starlink.

“We continued to provide data to the Ukrainian side. They were very grateful and emphasized that it was critically important for them,” said the head of ICEYE.

He emphasized that, unlike some other providers, ICEYE retained control over its satellite constellation and can ensure uninterrupted service even in the event of unpredictable political decisions by Ukraine’s partners.

ICEYE

ICEYE is a Polish-Finnish company specializing in the development, launch, and operation of satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). SAR technology enables capturing high-resolution images in any weather conditions and at night, making it especially valuable for military intelligence, crisis monitoring, and civilian applications. Founded in 2014 by Rafał Modrzewski and Pekka Laurila, ICEYE launched its first proprietary satellite in 2018.

Currently, the ICEYE constellation consists of 52 satellites, with plans to increase the number to between 60 and 100. This expansion will reduce the revisit time over Europe to 20–30 minutes.

The ICEYE satellites weigh about 220 kg, are equipped with a 3 m² antenna, and can capture images with a resolution of up to 25 cm. They orbit at an altitude of approximately 570 km, traveling at speeds over 7.5 km/s, completing one orbit around the Earth in roughly 90 minutes.

The company has also signed a contract with the Polish Ministry of National Defence to develop a national satellite system, which could potentially enhance the region’s intelligence capabilities.