The Czech Republic will build and donate a state-of-the-art Earth-observation satellite to Ukraine within the next year, giving Kyiv an independent source of high-resolution imagery and data regardless of weather or time of day.
Announced during Czech Space Week by Transport Minister Martin Kupka and President Petr Pavel, the project underscores both Prague’s support for Ukraine and the capabilities of the Czech space sector, according to the Ministry of Transport.
“The donation of a satellite is not only an expression of our assistance to Ukraine, but also proof of the high level of the Czech space industry,” Kupka said, adding that Czech technology can deliver real-world impact in security, infrastructure recovery and civilian protection. “We believe this mission will help Ukraine strengthen its capabilities while supporting our cooperation in space technologies,” he said.
Czech officials say the country is the first to provide Ukraine with such a system. Ukraine has relied on foreign satellite imagery and requested this initiative directly, the government said. Czech companies experienced in small spacecraft will build the satellite, which will carry a radar system, optical and radiation sensors, and radio-frequency monitoring technology—enabling observations at night and through cloud cover.
The satellite is expected to join a broader constellation over time, further expanding Ukraine’s surveillance capacity. The initiative stems from a 2024 memorandum of understanding between the Czech Ministry of Transport and Ukraine’s State Space Agency and follows a Ukrainian business mission to the Czech Republic in May.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called the transfer a concrete show of support and a step toward helping Ukraine build its own digital infrastructure and resilience—an investment in the security and future of Ukraine and Europe, he said.
The launch is planned within a year, under a Czech government program for Ukraine’s recovery that involves multiple ministries.
The announcement comes as geopolitical space tensions intensify. Ukrainian media have reported that China is providing Russian forces with satellite-derived intelligence for strikes in Ukraine, including imagery of facilities tied to foreign investors. Separately, UK officials have accused Russia of waging “star wars” by regularly jamming satellites and disrupting Western military systems -reports echoed by Germany and several Nordic countries.
