VEON’s Kyivstar Reaches 3.0 million Customers with Starlink Direct to Cell Services
Dubai and Kyiv, January 15, 2026 – VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON), a global digital operator (“VEON”), today announced that Kyivstar (Nasdaq: KYIV; KYIVW), Ukraine's leading digital operator, has now reached over 3.0 million registered users for Direct to Cell satellite connectivity services, powered by Starlink. This user base corresponds to over 10% of Kyivstar’s mobile subscribers.
Since the launching of the service on November 24, 2025, over 1.2 million SMS messages have been delivered via satellite connectivity. The technology has proven especially vital in Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions, underscoring the crucial role of connectivity in these areas and reaffirming VEON and Kyivstar’s dedication to maintaining resilient communication in Ukraine. The satellite technology has been most broadly used in five cities: Kyiv, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi and Dnipro.
"The rapid adoption of Starlink Direct to Cell services by Kyivstar subscribers demonstrates the critical importance of enhancing Ukraine’s resilience and our customers’ appreciation for the availability of satellite-based connectivity, " said Kaan Terzioğlu, VEON Group CEO and Executive Chairman of Kyivstar. "We will continue to lead the way in providing innovative services that Ukraine needs to build its digital future and in meeting the ever-growing demand of our customers for digital connectivity.”
Starlink Direct to Cell is accessible free of charge to all 4G smartphone users on Kyivstar network – about 15.5 million subscribers – through their regular tariff plans and without further modifications to their device settings. The technology operates in open areas with a clear line of sight to the sky.
In addition to the widespread uptake of Direct to Cell services in Ukraine, VEON’s Beeline Kazakhstan has also recently successfully tested Starlink Direct to Cell services with the first Starlink Direct to Cell through a WhatsApp call in Central Asia. Following this successful test, Beeline Kazakhstan plans to introduce Starlink Direct to Cell connectivity for customers beginning with SMS services in 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
About VEON
VEON is a digital operator that provides connectivity and digital services to nearly 150 million connectivity and 140 million digital users. Operating across five countries that are home to more than 6% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on NASDAQ. For more information, visit: .
About Kyivstar
Kyivstar Group Ltd. is a Nasdaq-listed holding company that operates JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and the first Ukrainian company to have its shares traded on a U.S. stock exchange. Kyivstar Group’s operations span 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. Together with VEON, Kyivstar intends to invest USD 1 billion in Ukraine between 2023-2027, through investments in infrastructure and technological development, charitable donations and strategic acquisitions. For more information, please visit . Nasdaq tickers: KYIV; KYIVW
About Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink Direct to Cell is the world’s only and largest constellation with more than 650 satellites in low-Earth orbit that delivers data, voice, video and messaging to devices in mobile dead zones. Connecting more than 12M customers, with more than six million monthly active users, across six continents and counting, Direct to Cell satellites work with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky. Acting like a cell phone tower in space with the most advanced phased array antennas in the world that connect seamlessly across the Starlink network over lasers to any point in the globe, it enables network integration similar to a standard roaming partner. Starlink is the world’s largest 4G coverage provider and partners with Mobile Network Operators all over the world. Learn more and follow .
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
This release contains “forward-looking statements”, as the phrase is defined in U.S. securities laws. The forward-looking statements in this release, including those related to VEON’s and its subsidiaries’ Starlink partnerships, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from those expressed by such statements. These risks include those relating to uncertainty over success of our strategic initiatives, among others discussed in our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on April 25, 2025. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release and VEON disclaims any obligation to update them, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.
Contact Information
Hande Asik
Chief Strategy and Communications Officer
