Release Details

Partnership introduces leasing solutions designed to support vehicle replacements, fleet expansion and business growth for Uklon's fleet operators 

KYIV, Ukraine and NEW YORK, July 22, 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 that Uklon, Ukraine’s leading ride-sharing service and part of Kyivstar’s digital ecosystem, has entered into a partnership with OTP Bank, OTP Leasing and ULF to expand access to affordable credit and leasing solutions for fleet operators and driver-partners.

"Uklon is committed to strengthening Ukraine's ride-hailing market, and that means meeting drivers and fleet operators where the need is greatest. Small and medium-sized businesses in particular need transparent, accessible financing to renew or grow their vehicle fleets during wartime,” said Ivan Chornohor, Vice President of Supply and Driver Operations at Uklon. “We're equally focused on supporting partners whose vehicles have been damaged or destroyed as a result of the war.” 

Under the partnership, Uklon fleet operators and driver-partners will have access to leasing solutions designed to support vehicle renewal, fleet expansion and business growth. The initiative is part of Uklon’s ongoing efforts to create new development opportunities for fleet operators and driver-partners, strengthening the foundation of the platform’s driver community as demand for ride-hailing and related mobility services continues to grow across Ukraine and allows Uklon to further grow its driver network and support the continued expansion of its marketplace.

"OTP Bank is continuously moving forward: we are growing, expanding opportunities for our customers, and introducing new products. Today, OTP Bank is the market leader in financing pre-owned vehicles, but we are not stopping there. Our partnership with Uklon marks the next step in our strategic development. It brings together OTP Bank’s financial expertise and the innovation of one of the largest ride-hailing platforms, creating new opportunities for businesses and supporting the further development of the taxi services market", said Oleh Klymenko, Member of the Management Board of OTP Bank, responsible for Retail Banking. 

The leasing solutions are expected to be available directly through Uklon’s partner network, offering flexible terms tailored to the needs of both individual driver-partners and larger fleet operators. By lowering the barriers to acquiring and renewing vehicles, the partnership aims to help driver-partners maintain modern, reliable, and safe vehicles while enabling fleet operators to scale their operations more efficiently.

"For OTP Leasing, today’s signing of the memorandum is a logical continuation of our mission: to make car financing accessible and flexible for businesses, including sole proprietors — who make up a significant share of Uklon’s driver-partners and fleet operators. Our partnership with Uklon allows us to directly support drivers and fleets — particularly those whose vehicles have been damaged as a result of Russian aggression. We offer them a practical tool for rapid recovery and fleet renewal, tailored specifically to the needs of small businesses and individual entrepreneurs. Better vehicles mean safer trips, greater comfort, and can contribute to lower environmental impact. I am confident that our joint work with Uklon will make these opportunities accessible to an even wider range of partners, regardless of the scale of their business", said Yanina Horenko, First Deputy CEO of OTP Leasing. 

“Since 2019, ULF has been financing vehicles for fleet operators working with ride-hailing platforms across Ukraine — from businesses with just a few cars to large fleets numbering in the hundreds. Over this period, we have financed more than 2,500 vehicles, while the largest fleet financed for a single partner comprises 1,000 cars. Our partnership with Uklon is a natural extension of this expertise and will enable us to extend financing solutions to even more entrepreneurs, helping them renew and expand their fleets without placing significant pressure on their working capital”, said Dmytro Ulitin, Chief Commercial Officer of ULF. 

Integration with Uklon’s digital ecosystem is intended to streamline the leasing process, allowing eligible driver-partners and fleet operators to explore and manage leasing options as part of their existing relationship with the platform.

About Uklon

Uklon is a technology company that developed the eponymous mobile application. Founded in Kyiv in 2010, Uklon started as a ride-hailing platform and has evolved into a multi-service digital ecosystem integrating ride-hailing, Uklon Delivery, Uklon Ads, and the Uklon Travel bus ticket booking service. As of June 30, 2026, the Uklon service is available in 27 cities across Ukraine and at the Bukovel tourist complex. The company also operates in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

In April 2025, Uklon was acquired by JSC Kyivstar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyivstar Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: KYIV; KYIVW), whose shares are traded on the U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq and which is a part of the VEON Group.

Official website: https://uklon.com.ua 

About Kyivstar Group Ltd.

Kyivstar Group Ltd. (“Kyivstar Group”) 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 Group 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

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 the expected development, expansion and performance of Uklon’s car leasing solutions and other digital mobility services. 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.

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