Kyivstar, Ukraine's leading digital operator, announced that its strategic investment in Starlink Direct to Cell satellite technology is delivering critical connectivity to Ukraine. Since launch in November 2025, over 3.0 million subscribers registered for the service and over 1.2 million SMS messages were sent.

The technology has proven especially vital in Ukraine’s southern and eastern regions, underscoring the crucial role of connectivity in these areas and reaffirming Kyivstar’s dedication to maintaining nationwide communication. The satellite technology has been most broadly used in five cities: Kyiv, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi and Dnipro.

Further expanding this essential service, Kyivstar has also now enabled access for iPhone users, with iPhone devices running iOS 26.2 or later automatically detecting and connecting to the "Kyivstar | SpaceX" network when terrestrial signals are lost.

"The broad adoption of Starlink Direct to Cell satellite service validates our strategic investment in Starlink technology to bring connectivity directly to Ukraine's residents," said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar. "This technology supplements our terrestrial network capabilities and provides essential communication when other means are unavailable – which is exactly what Ukraine needs right now."

Kyivstar subscribers can test the satellite connectivity technology on their SIM cards within their existing tariff plans at no additional cost. At present, only SMS messaging is available when connected to the “Kyivstar | SpaceX” network, and in the future, it will expand to data services. The technology operates in open areas with a clear line of sight to the sky.