The New York Times claims that Ukraine resorted to satellite imagery obtained from foreign states and private companies to counter Russia even before the start of the special military operation in 2022.
According to the newspaper, the Ukrainian side used such data for military purposes, but until recently it was a limited resource. As the publication writes, access to the images was available only to high-ranking commanders for strategic planning, and even that was unstable. The source of this information is not specified.
It is noted that in March 2025, Maxar Technologies temporarily disabled Ukraine's access to its satellite images, but a few days later media reported that access was restored.
The New York Times also writes that over the past year, Kyiv's capabilities in using satellite imagery have significantly expanded thanks to the support of the US government and private entities. In particular, the American company Vantor, formerly known as Maxar Technologies and a commercial partner of Ukraine, recently launched six new satellites, bringing their total number to ten. According to the company's director of development, Will Kokos, the satellites are now capable of covering up to seven million square kilometers of the Earth's surface daily and obtaining images of one territory up to 15 times a day, allowing even minor changes to be recorded.
Source: RIA Novosti