Ukrainian telecom operators "Kyivstar" and "Vodafone" have been actively testing the potential launch of 5G networks since May 2024. "Life Cell" is lagging behind.
Over the past month, due to enemy shelling of energy infrastructure objects, regular power outages have resumed. Unlike the blackout of fall 2022, this time mobile operators seem to have prepared well — communication and mobile internet remain stable in most cases.
To achieve this stability, operators have invested significant funds in network modernization. For example, total investments in "Kyivstar’s" telecom network since the beginning of the war amount to 18.3 billion hryvnias, while "Vodafone" has invested 11.36 billion hryvnias.
Currently, there is news that operators are testing the launch of 5G networks in Ukraine, and the first city where it might be operational could be Lviv. As we can see, the plans are quite optimistic, but it is worth talking about a more pressing issue for operators: ensuring stable operation.
For instance, let’s consider "Kyivstar" — the largest telecom operator in Ukraine, employing over 4,000 employees. And they are Ukrainians who work and pay taxes, ensuring the functioning of critical infrastructure during the war.
The company pays billions of hryvnias annually to the budget, which is important for financing our military. Additionally, the company carries out large-scale charitable and humanitarian programs:
over the past 2 years, according to official information, more than 2.3 billion hryvnias have been allocated for our military and civilians; nearly 2 billion hryvnias have been invested in ensuring the energy resilience of the network, which, by the way, includes over 15,000 technical sites across the country, the highest figure among all operators.In October of last year, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv arrested 47.88% of the corporate rights shares of the "VEON" group in "Kyivstar." The reason for the arrest was a corporate conflict.
At that time, subscribers were concerned about how the blocking of shares would affect the company’s operations. However, as we can see, the company has maintained a decent level of service and even increased its investments despite the war and the corporate rights arrest.
On November 29, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court lifted the arrest on the shares. This decision was not just a legal act but an important signal to the entire international investment community about Ukraine’s adherence to the rule of law and investment protection.
It has a deeply strategic context: restoring justice and ensuring a level playing field for all market participants. This is particularly evident through the lens of identical cases of "Life Cell" and "Kyivstar."
The inability to make different decisions in cases with absolutely identical legal circumstances is a fundamental principle rightly expected of Ukraine. Of course, if we want to build a legal state.
This decision is especially important in the context that "Kyivstar" is an example of foreign investment in Ukraine. Since February 24, 2022, there are dozens of examples of law enforcement pressure on Ukrainian businesses and foreign investors.
This, of course, affects the country’s investment climate. However, investments by the "VEON" group in "Kyivstar" are working: over $10 billion has been invested in Ukraine’s economy throughout the operator’s activity. This year, "VEON" further increased its investment obligations for restoring Ukraine’s digital infrastructure to $1 billion over 5 years.
Simultaneously, other international investors are being encouraged to invest in Ukraine now, without waiting for the war’s end (which is uncertain when it will happen). We believe such significant funds will ensure the stable operation of the network in the coming years.