Release Details

Kyiv, Ukraine and New York, September 7, 2026 -- Kyivstar Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: KYIV; KYIVW), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar (“Kyivstar”), Ukraine's leading digital operator and part of VEON Group (Nasdaq: VEON), today announced it has upgraded more than 1 million Kyivstar subscribers to 4G while completing the transition from its 3G network. The spectrum resources freed up by switching from 3G have been fully reallocated to the development of the LTE network. As a result, the spectrum available for 4G has increased by 25%, enabling higher speeds and more reliable mobile services.

Switching off 3G is a global practice in the evolution of mobile networks. The key driver behind this process is the significantly higher spectrum efficiency of 4G compared with 3G. According to the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), operators worldwide are gradually transitioning from 3G, with Europe among the leaders in the transition. Major U.S. carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, have completed 3G transitions in recent years, redirecting spectrum capacity to power expanded 4G and 5G networks.

Kyivstar began the phased process of switching off 3G in 2023. The process covered all regions of Ukraine while ensuring a simple and seamless transition for subscribers. Where needed, subscribers could replace their old SIM cards with 4G-enabled USIM cards free of charge, as well as upgrade their smartphones on promotional terms at Kyivstar stores.

“Becoming the first digital operator in Ukraine to phase out widespread use of a 3G is not just a technical milestone, but a reflection of where Kyivstar is heading,” said Oleksandr Komarov, President of Kyivstar Group Ltd. “By reallocating a portion of the spectrum entirely to 4G, we have increased network capacity by 25%, delivering faster speeds and more reliable connectivity to every customer on our network. Since 2022, we have more than doubled average mobile internet speeds across Ukraine. This is what sustained investment in digital infrastructure looks like in practice, and we remain committed to building the best possible network for Ukrainians even in the most demanding conditions.”

Kyivstar has now completed its transition from 3G* and has become the first Ukrainian digital operator to have switched off this legacy technology on a mass scale. More than 1 million former 3G users can now benefit from 4G, resulting in significantly higher mobile internet speeds, lower latency and a more stable connection, including in areas with high network traffic. 4G also provides better connectivity while in transit and indoors, and supports VoLTE technology for higher-quality voice calls.

An important outcome of the project was the reallocation of 20 MHz in the 2100 MHz spectrum band for 4G as well as the systematic modernization of telecommunications equipment. The entire spectrum resource in this band is now dedicated to the development of the 4G network, increasing its speed, capacity and coverage. According to the company’s data, the reallocation of spectrum has increased data speeds across the network by 20–40% depending on location.
4G is the primary mobile communications technology in Ukraine. Kyivstar will continue to expand and modernize its LTE network, increasing capacity and data speeds. Today, Kyivstar 4G is available to more than 96% of Ukraine’s population, while peak network speeds reach up to 1 Gbps.

*For a small number of B2B customers, 3G remains temporarily available at specific locations due to the particular configuration and location of the equipment. The transition of these sites to 4G is expected to be completed in the near future.

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 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

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, Kyivstar’s plans to continue expanding and modernizing its 4G network, the expected completion of B2B site migrations from 3G to 4G, and the Company’s anticipated network performance and capacity improvements. 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 Company’s operations in Ukraine, including ongoing conflict and its effects on network infrastructure, regulatory developments, and macroeconomic conditions, 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 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