Kyivstar, a subsidiary of the VEON Group, began a 5G test zone in the historic center of Lviv on January 12, 2026. The pilot, the operator’s first local 5G project, uses 3500 MHz for high‑speed data and 700 MHz for broader coverage and was carried out in coordination with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation.
During pre‑launch testing in Kyiv, Kyivstar’s 5G network achieved peak download speeds exceeding 2.4 Gbps. The Lviv pilot is expected to deliver comparable performance, with success criteria that include not only speed but also latency, handover reliability and coverage density in an urban environment.
The launch is part of VEON’s $1 billion commitment to Ukraine’s connectivity and digital infrastructure from 2023 to 2027. Kyivstar plans to extend 5G availability to Kharkiv, Borodianka, Kyiv and Odesa later in 2026, with a nationwide rollout contingent on the war’s conclusion. The move underscores the company’s resilience and long‑term confidence in Ukraine’s recovery.
CEO Oleksandr Komarov said the pilot “drives Ukraine’s digital transformation and supports advanced technologies such as Direct‑to‑Cell satellite connectivity with Starlink.” Minister Mykhailo Fedorov added that the pilot “is an important step forward under war conditions, ensuring that Ukrainians stay connected and have access to advanced technologies.”
The pilot required military approval to avoid interference with defense communications and prompted Kyivstar to invest in energy resilience—generators and batteries—to mitigate power outages. It also tests Open RAN technologies, positioning the operator for a flexible, cost‑effective network architecture.
If the pilot meets its performance targets, Kyivstar will use the data to inform a full‑scale rollout that will support both civilian and potential military applications, reinforcing the operator’s role in Ukraine’s digital resilience and future economic growth.
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