Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest mobile operator, sees connection and internet outages affect millions

Mobile connection and internet are not available, including in Kyiv, users reported on Facebook. The operator's official website is also down.

Technical failure resulted in the unavailability of communication services and internet access for part of its subscriber base, Kyivstar announced at 8:10 a.m. on Dec. 12.

“The company's specialists are working on resolving the issue,” the company added.

Kyivstar is Ukraine’s largest electronic communications operator, serving over 24 million mobile subscribers and more than 1 million home internet subscribers as of Sept. 2023. The company provides services using a widerange of mobile and fixed technologies, including 4G, Big Data, Cloud solutions, cybersecurity services, digital TV, and more.

Zelenskyy’s Office mentioned a “high probability” of imposing sanctions on Kyivstar with subsequent confiscation of the company at the end of November. The court seized shares controlled by Russian sanction-targeted oligarchs Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, and Andrey Kosogov, Kyivstar said in October.

The sole shareholder of Kyivstar is VEON, registered in the Netherlands.