Release Details

The Open Access partnership enables reciprocal use of both operators’ fiber networks, accelerating broadband expansion and modern digital services for millions of Ukrainians.

KYIV, Ukraine, August 17, 2026 - 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), announced that JSC Kyivstar and JSC Ukrtelecom have signed an agreement to cooperate under an Open Access model, based on the shared use of telecommunications infrastructure. Under the project, both operators will reciprocally use parts of each other's networks, helping bring fiber coverage to homes across the country quickly and efficiently.

As part of the project, Kyivstar will provide Home Internet services and access to its digital ecosystem by using Ukrtelecom’s GPON network, while Ukrtelecom will provide Optical Internet services by using Kyivstar’s extensive fiber network on an open market basis.

The Open Access model provides network access on transparent and non-discriminatory terms. According to the FTTH Council Europe, this approach promotes fair and transparent competition among service providers.

The implementation of the project will contribute to the further development of Ukraine’s telecommunications market while also enabling faster expansion of access to fiber broadband and modern digital services for a greater number of Ukrainians.

“For decades, the Ukrainian market has been evolving under a model whereby operators and service providers deployed and operated their own parallel networks. Open Access gives us a practical way to make better use of the infrastructure we’ve already built, while accelerating the rollout of modern digital services,”commented Yurii Kurmaz, CEO of Ukrtelecom, on the launch of the cooperation. “We believe this model will become one of the key drivers behind the next stage of growth in Ukraine’s telecoms sector. With more than 95,000 kilometers of existing fiber networks, Ukrtelecom is ready to scale this approach and open up new opportunities for development of modern telecommunications services in Ukraine.”

Each operator retains its direct relationship with its subscribers by independently defining its tariff policy and commercial terms, while also providing customer support and billing. The owner of the network remains responsible for its operation and technical maintenance. Information exchanged between the companies is limited to the technical data required to provide network access as part of the project.

“This Open Access partnership is an important milestone in expanding Ukraine’s digital infrastructure. It lets us reach far more customers with high-quality fiber broadband, while making efficient of the networks we already have in place,” said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar. “For our customers, this means greater opportunities to benefit from Kyivstar Home Internet services and Kyivstar’s digital ecosystem, including converged offerings that combine mobile communications, home internet and television services within a single package. Through this partnership, these opportunities will become available to an even greater number of Ukrainians.”

The first phase of the project, during which the companies will validate the cooperation model and the operation of the information systems integrated as part of the project, will begin in the Odesa, Vinnytsia and Kirovohrad regions and will cover more than one million residents of Ukraine. The geographical scope of the partnership is expected to expand to other regions of Ukraine in subsequent phases, with further announcements to follow.

About Kyivstar Group Ltd.

Kyivstar Group Ltd. is a Nasdaq-listed holding company that operates Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and the first Ukrainian company to list on a U.S. stock exchange. Kyivstar Group Ltd.’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 21,8 million mobile customers and over 1.3 million home internet fixed line customers as of June 30, 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 JSC Ukrtelecom

JSC Ukrtelecom is one of Ukraine’s largest electronic communications operators and the country’s leading fixed-line telecommunications provider. The company delivers fiber-optic Internet access and advanced electronic communications services to residential customers, businesses, and public sector organizations across Ukraine. 

Ukrtelecom is continuously expanding and modernizing its optical infrastructure, deploying thousands of kilometers of fiber-optic lines every year and extending the coverage of its power-independent GPON network, which provides Internet access at speeds of up to 1 Gbps. As of June 30, 2026, the total length of the company’s optical network exceeded 95,000 km. 

Despite the challenges of the full-scale war, Ukrtelecom continues to invest in the development and modernization of its telecommunications infrastructure, enhancing its energy resilience and overall network robustness. The company provides connectivity to households, businesses, government institutions, and social infrastructure facilities, contributing to Ukraine’s digital resilience and the development of a modern digital ecosystem. 

Since 2013, JSC Ukrtelecom has been part of SCM, an international investment company of Rinat Akhmetov.

Additional information: press@ukrtelecom.ua, www.ukrtelecom.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, the Open Access partnership between JSC Kyivstar and JSC Ukrtelecom. There are numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which Kyivstar cannot predict with accuracy or even anticipate, and which could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from those expressed by such statements, including risks relating to Kyivstar’s ability to achieve anticipated results and business objectives, among others discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in Kyivstar Group’s annual report on Form 20-F filed 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 Group disclaims any obligation to update or revise them, other than to the extent as required by applicable law.

Contact information
Kyivstar Group Ltd
Investor Relations
ir@kyivstargroup.com