Key facts
- The Verkhovna Rada said 252 lawmakers backed draft law No. 13255 in its first reading on November 9.
- Parliament said the bill envisages space technology development to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities.
- The bill proposes a national early-warning system to detect incoming missile launches and ways to counter such attacks.
- The legislation also envisages secure satellite communications for Ukraine's security and defense forces.
- The bill must return to parliament for a second reading before lawmakers can give final approval.
Ukraine's parliament voted on November 9 to advance legislation creating Space Forces as a new branch of the country's Armed Forces, with 252 lawmakers supporting draft law No. 13255 in its first reading, according to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament.
The announcement said the document envisages the development of space technologies to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities. The bill was first registered in parliament on May 2, 2025, according to official parliamentary records. It must return to parliament for a second reading before lawmakers can give it final approval.
According to the explanatory note published by parliament, the legislation seeks to strengthen Ukraine's ability to defend against threats originating from space and would provide the legal basis for establishing a dedicated military branch and integrating it into the armed forces structure. Proposed measures include a national early-warning system to detect incoming missile launches and develop ways to counter such attacks, plus secure satellite communications for Ukraine's security and defense forces.
The proposal comes amid concerns over Ukraine's reliance on foreign satellite communications. In October, restrictions on SpaceX's Starshield service reportedly disrupted some Ukrainian military operations.
On November 7, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk amplified a social media post saying it was a "mistake" to give Ukraine access to Starlink terminals during Russia's full-scale invasion. The post followed President Volodymyr Zelensky's criticism of Musk's political influence in an interview with the German television program ZDF Magazin Royale. Zelensky said on November 5: "There is too much power in the hands of one very wealthy person. Such a concentration of power is dangerous." That same day, Musk reposted a critique of Zelensky's comment on X, the platform he owns, arguing Ukraine should not have been given access to Starlink satellites.