Kyivstar Expands Satellite Connectivity with Launch of Light Data via Starlink Mobile
KYIV, Ukraine and NEW YORK, June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyivstar Group Ltd ("Kyivstar") (NASDAQ:KYIV, KYIVW)), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine's leading digital operator and part of VEON Group (NASDAQ:VEON), today launched Starlink Mobile light data service nationwide, enabling customers with 4G (LTE) smartphones to use Viber, WhatsApp and Google Maps via Starlink satellites when there is no terrestrial network coverage. This step is a first for Ukraine and a further step in building robust connectivity that stays available through outages and disruption.
With light data from Starlink Mobile available, Kyivstar customers with 4G LTE smartphones can now access popular messaging and navigation apps when terrestrial mobile network coverage is unavailable or disrupted. This significantly expands communication capabilities and access to critical services, particularly under challenging conditions.
"Kyivstar is expanding connectivity options for Ukrainians with the launch of light data based on Starlink Mobile. We already see strong demand for satellite-enabled SMS. Now, subscribers will have even more ways to stay connected, even when terrestrial cellular coverage is not available, they can communicate via messaging apps and access navigation services," said Oleksandr Komarov, President of Kyivstar Group Ltd.
The introduction of light data follows the successful implementation of satellite-based SMS services and represents a major step forward in enhancing Kyivstar's network resilience. Supported applications will be able to automatically adapt to satellite connectivity, enabling users to exchange voice messages over WhatsApp, message and video content in real time, as well as access maps and navigation services.
"Throughout the full-scale war, we have learned that the most important message in the world can be just a single symbol—a plus sign in a messenger. When enemy attacks cut off electricity and disable communication towers, the ability to send that plus to your mother or share your location with your brothers-in-arms or rescuers becomes, quite literally, a matter of life and death," said Stanislav Prybytko, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Digital Transformation. "The operation of applications in Light Data mode represents the next step in the evolution of satellite connectivity, enabling additional communication capabilities even where terrestrial networks are unavailable. We are committed to ensuring that Ukrainians remain connected under any circumstances."
Additional applications are expected to be added as they are adapted to the technical requirements for Starlink Mobile satellite communication. This gradual expansion will further enhance service availability in remote areas and enable businesses to maintain operations even in disrupted environments.
"For Ukraine, connectivity during wartime is a critical necessity. It does not matter where the signal comes from—whether from a base station or from space. What matters is that it works when it is needed most, even in areas where the network is unavailable. Starlink Direct to Cell marks a new stage in the evolution of communications, and Ukraine is already among the first countries in the world to test these technologies today. It is important that this is happening in Ukraine with the participation of Kyivstar, bringing the launch of new services for people closer.mFor its part, the NCEC is creating the regulatory conditions to ensure that innovations are implemented safely and quickly become real services that strengthen the resilience of the state," said Liliia Malon, Chair of the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services (NCEC).
Accessing the "Kyivstar–SpaceX" satellite network requires an open outdoor location in an area without mobile coverage. Currently, light data is available on Android smartphones supporting 4G (LTE), with support for additional devices expected to come over time. The service covers the entire territory of Ukraine, except temporarily occupied territories, border zones, and active combat areas.
Kyivstar customers with compatible smartphones can now access Starlink Mobile light data nationwide, complementing Kyivstar's terrestrial mobile network and adding a new layer of resilient connectivity. Even at this stage, Kyivstar is unlocking new use cases for satellite connectivity. In the event of power outages or a complete loss of coverage, users can stay in touch with loved ones and confirm their safety. While traveling or working in remote areas, such as rural regions, mountains, or fields, subscribers retain access to navigation tools. For field specialists, volunteers, and emergency responders, light data enables coordination, content sharing, and geolocation exchange in areas without conventional mobile coverage.
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.
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 million mobile customers and over 1.2 million fixed-line home internet customers as of March 31, 2026. 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 wholly owned by Kyivstar Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:KYIV, KYIVW)), whose shares are traded on the U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq.
Additional information: pr@kyivstar.net, www.kyivstar.ua.
About Starlink by SpaceX
Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. As the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, Starlink delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more. Starlink is engineered and operated by SpaceX. As the world's leading provider of launch services, SpaceX is leveraging its deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy the world's most advanced broadband internet system.
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, the development of the Starlink satellite internet service and its distribution within the territory of Ukraine. 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 the distribution of the Starlink satellite internet, among others discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" included in Kyivstar Group's annual report on Form 20-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 16, 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.
