Kyivstar partners with Starlink to bring satellite connectivity to Ukraine

The country is ready to pioneer direct-to-cell innovation.

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Ukraine’s largest mobile operator, Kyivstar, has partnered with Elon Musk’s Starlink to introduce direct-to-cell satellite connectivity, marking a major technological advancement for the war-torn nation. Kyivstar’s parent company, VEON, announced that messaging services will be available by late 2025, with voice and data services to follow in later stages.

Direct-to-cell technology connects satellites to smartphones, functioning like space-based cell towers. Starlink, a SpaceX subsidiary, launched its first satellites equipped with this capability earlier this year and has struck similar deals in the US, Japan, and New Zealand. Ukraine will be one of the first countries to adopt this innovation and the first active conflict zone to benefit from it.

The deal highlights Starlink’s continued support for Ukraine, despite ongoing Russian attempts to jam signals between the satellites and ground terminals. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the move solidifies Starlink’s role in providing essential connectivity to Ukraine amid geopolitical tensions.