BARCELONA and KYIV and NEW YORK, March 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyivstar Group Ltd (“Kyivstar Group”; Nasdaq: KYIV;KYIVW), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine's leading digital operator and part of VEON Group (Nasdaq: VEON) announced at Mobile World Congress 2026 (“MWC 2026”) that 5 million Kyivstar customers have now connected to the Kyivstar network via Starlink Mobile satellites 1 .

During MWC 2026, Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov spoke at the Skybound 5G: Drones, HAPS, Satellites & the Race to Connect the World session, and Director of New Business Ilya Polshakov spoke at the Satellite and NTN Summit. The Kyivstar executives shared Kyivstar’s experience in integrating non-terrestrial networks (“NTNs”) in real world conditions, sharing how this is helping to address the unique challenges Ukraine is facing and how Kyivstar plans to integrate the technology to develop new business areas.

In Ukraine, integration of satellite and terrestrial mobile networks is being implemented under extremely difficult wartime conditions: during blackouts caused by attacks on power generation facilities, in regions with damaged infrastructure, and in areas near the frontline. These circumstances make Kyivstar’s operating experience unique in a global context.

“Kyivstar is shaping the global practice of integrating Starlink Mobile with its terrestrial network, and the Ukrainian use cases are directly influencing the development of direct to device technology. We are adapting to the real challenges we face in Ukraine today. What we are testing and refining will help other countries enhance resilient connectivity during crises, disasters, and other emergencies,” said Ilya Polshakov, Director of New Business Development at Kyivstar.

On November 24, 2025, Kyivstar became the first mobile operator in Europe to enable nationwide Starlink Mobile satellite connectivity for any customer with a 4G smartphone, with the ability to send and receive SMS messaging via satellite when the terrestrial network is not available. Since then, 5 million Kyivstar customers have already connected to the “Kyivstar-SpaceX” network and more than 7 million SMS messages have been transmitted through the satellite network.

“Starlink Mobile continues to prove that it works exactly when it matters most. It has become a key part of Kyivstar’s response to the critical challenges we face in areas with no terrestrial coverage, supporting volunteers, rescuers, and humanitarian missions, as well as people living in frontline regions or experiencing prolonged blackouts. For many territories, connecting via Starlink Mobile satellites has proven to be a vital tool for safety and communication. In the past 30 days alone, 376,000 messages were sent and received in frontline areas in the southeast and east of Ukraine,” said Oleksandr Komarov, Kyivstar CEO .

At the same time, Kyivstar is expanding the use of satellite connectivity for businesses and public services. The technology is already being tested in the agricultural and geodetic sectors, in humanitarian demining operations and in cooperation with the National Police of Ukraine. Kyivstar has also successfully tested Starlink Mobile in the financial services sector: together with Mastercard and partners, it validated the operation of 4G-enabled POS terminals via satellite. The results demonstrate that financial transactions are possible even in locations with no terrestrial network coverage, increasing the reach and resilience of the financial service markets and ensuring access to payments for millions of Ukrainians and businesses in the most challenging conditions. Looking ahead, Kyivstar plans to launch light data during 2026 and aims to ensure stable operation of key services; primarily emergency and government services, in scenarios where no terrestrial networks are available.

This will mark a new level of resilience and will enable subscribers to continue using essential digital services in critical situations. Kyivstar continues to advance technologies that make connectivity more reliable and more accessible.

About Kyivstar Group Ltd.

Kyivstar Group Ltd. (“Kyivstar”) is a Nasdaq-listed holding company that operates JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and the first Ukrainian company to list on a U.S. stock exchange. Kyivstar’s companies provide a broad range of connectivity and digital services, including mobile and fixed-line voice and data, ride-hailing, e-health, digital TV, and enterprise solutions such as Big Data, cloud, and cybersecurity.

Together with VEON, Kyivstar intends to invest USD 1 billion in Ukraine between 2023-2027, through investments in infrastructure, technological development and strategic acquisitions, as well as charitable donations for social projects.

For more information, please visit https://investors.kyivstar.ua .

Nasdaq tickers: KYIV; KYIVW

About JSC Kyivstar

JSC Kyivstar is Ukraine’s leading digital operator, serving more than 22.5 million mobile customers and over 1.2 million home internet fixed line customers as of September 30, 2025. The company provides services using a wide range of mobile and fixed technologies, including 4G, Big Data, cloud solutions, cybersecurity services, digital TV, and more. JSC Kyivstar is advancing new telecommunication technologies in Ukraine and together with VEON plans to invest USD 1 billion in this direction during 2023-2027.

JSC Kyivstar is wholly owned by Kyivstar Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: KYIV; KYIVW), whose shares traded on the U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq.

The company contributes to overcoming the challenges of wartime and, over the past three years, has allocated over UAH 4.4 billion to support the Defense Forces, its subscribers, and the implementation of social projects. JSC Kyivstar has operated in Ukraine for 28 years and is recognized as the largest taxpayer in the digital communications market, a top employer, and a socially responsible company.

Additional information: [email protected] , www.kyivstar.ua .

Disclaimer

This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to, among other things, Starlink Direct to Cell technology, implemented by Kyivstar. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from those expressed by such statements, including risks relating to Starlink Direct to Cell technology, implemented by Kyivstar, among others discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in the final prospectus filed by Kyivstar Group with the U.S. Securities and exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 30, 2026, as amended and supplemented from time to time, and in any other subsequent filings with the SEC by Kyivstar Group. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release and Kyivstar disclaims any obligation to update them, except as required by applicable laws.

1 Source: Kyivstar and Starlink internal data