KYIV, Ukraine and NEW YORK, July  01, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyivstar Group Ltd. (&#34;Kyivstar&#34;) (NASDAQ:KYIV, KYIVW)), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and part of VEON

KYIV

Kyivstar Subsidiary Uklon Launches Visa Acceptance Platform, Strengthening Digital Payments Infrastructure in Ukraine

Kyivstar-Uklon Visa integration could boost Ukraine digital payments growth

<section class="insight" data-version="1">
  <section data-block="information">
    <h3>Information</h3>
    <p>KYIV, Ukraine and NEW YORK, July  01, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyivstar Group Ltd. (&amp;#34;Kyivstar&amp;#34;) (NASDAQ:KYIV, KYIVW)), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and part of VEON</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
    <h3>AI Summary</h3>
    <p>Kyivstar and Visa announced the Visa Acceptance Platform integration within Uklon, expanding digital payments in Ukraine. The upgrade enables faster in-app transactions, instant refunds, and stronger user engagement as Uklon serves 27 Ukrainian cities (plus Tashkent). This collaboration reinforces Kyivstar&#039;s digital ecosystem and could lift payments-related growth in the near term.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
    <h3>Key Points</h3>
    <ul><li>Kyivstar and Visa integrate Visa Acceptance Platform into Uklon&#039;s app. Ukraine payment ecosystem expands.</li><li>Uklon spans 27 Ukrainian cities; Kyivstar acquired it in 2025.</li><li>In-app payments enable instant refunds and faster transactions.</li><li>Visa and Kyivstar push Ukraine&#039;s digital economy and fintech hub aspiration.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
    <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
    <ul><li><strong>Kyivstar Group Ltd. (KYIV, KYIVW)</strong>: Parent company of Uklon; potential uplift from payments ecosystem expansion.</li><li><strong>Uklon (N/A)</strong>: Leading Ukrainian ride-hailing and digital services platform; integration could boost user engagement.</li><li><strong>Visa Inc. (V)</strong>: Provider of the payment platform; supports secure, fast Ukrainian payments.</li><li><strong>VEON Ltd. (VEON)</strong>: Kyivstar&#039;s parent; news reinforces synergy within VEON&#039;s digital-services portfolio.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="category">
    <h3>Corporate Developments</h3>
    <p>Category fits Corporate Developments and Industry News due to a strategic partnership expanding payments infrastructure within Ukraine&#039;s digital ecosystem, with potential downstream effects on KYIV&#039;s monetization and user engagement.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="market-moving">
    <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
    <ul><li>Increased payments volume from Uklon could lift Kyivstar&#039;s revenue mix.</li><li>Strategic tie-up with Visa supports Kyivstar&#039;s digital-services expansion.</li><li>Integration timelines and execution risk could temper near-term gains.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="key-facts">
    <h3>Key Facts</h3>
    <ul><li>Date: July 1, 2026 (Globe Newswire release).</li><li>Uklon operates in 27 Ukrainian cities as of June 2026.</li><li>Kyivstar completed the Uklon acquisition in April 2025.</li><li>Uklon is part of Kyivstar&#039;s digital ecosystem; Uklon has mobility, delivery, ads, and travel services.</li><li>Visa Acceptance Platform integration aims to streamline in-app payments, refunds, and cancellations.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="trading-thesis">
    <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
    <p>Bullish for KYIV on near-term payments upgrade boosting user engagement and monetization within 6–12 months.</p>
  </section>
</section>


<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/styles/gnw_nitf.css"></link><p align="justify">KYIV, Ukraine and NEW YORK, July  01, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyivstar Group Ltd. ("Kyivstar") (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/KYIV">KYIV</a>, KYIVW)), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and part of VEON Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/VEON">VEON</a>), today announced in partnership with Visa, a world leader in digital payments, that Uklon, Ukraine’s leading ride-hailing service and part of Kyivstar’s digital ecosystem, has integrated the Visa Acceptance Platform into its application.</p>  <p align="justify">The launch of the new platform will strengthen Uklon’s payment infrastructure in Ukraine and deliver a faster, more seamless payment experience for millions of riders. The platform has already successfully launched in the Uklon app, enabling seamless in-app transactions, instant refunds, and transaction cancellations.</p>  <p align="justify">"Integrating the Visa Acceptance Platform represents a significant step forward in modernizing Uklon’s payment capabilities," <strong>said Mykola Solomiichuk, Chief Financial Officer of Uklon</strong>. "This partnership enables us to deliver the fast, reliable payment experience our users expect while further establishing our robust, resilient and secure digital mobility ecosystem serving millions across Ukraine."</p>  <p align="justify"><strong>Kyivstar President Oleksandr Komarov stated</strong>, "Strengthening digital payment infrastructure is essential to advancing Ukraine’s digital economy and expanding access to innovative services. Uklon’s integration with the Visa Acceptance Platform demonstrates our commitment to leveraging technology partnerships that enhance the user experience, drive growth across our digital ecosystem, and reinforce Ukraine’s position as a hub for digital innovation."</p>  <p align="justify">"Visa Acceptance Platform aims to provide our partners around the globe with resilient, robust, and secure architecture that fuels innovation and growth," <strong>said Tetiana Chorna, Visa Vice President, Country Manager for Ukraine.</strong> "We are pleased to support Uklon in the expansion of its digital mobility services by offering solutions that streamline payments for millions of riders across Ukraine."</p>  <p align="justify">The integration builds on Uklon’s ongoing transformation into a comprehensive urban mobility and digital services ecosystem, which today spans ride-hailing, delivery, advertising, and intercity travel. Strengthening Uklon’s payments infrastructure is expected to support continued growth across Kyivstar’s digital service offerings and reinforce payments as a key driver of user engagement.</p>  <p align="justify">The collaboration underscores Visa’s ongoing commitment to enabling secure, fast, and innovative digital payments while supporting the growth of smart mobility in Ukraine.</p>  <p align="justify"><strong>About Uklon</strong></p>  <p>Uklon is a technology company that developed the eponymous mobile application. Founded in Kyiv in 2010, Uklon started as a ride-hailing platform and has evolved into a multi-service digital ecosystem integrating ride-hailing, Uklon Delivery, Uklon Ads, and the Uklon Travel bus ticket booking service. As of June 2026, the Uklon service is available in 27 cities across Ukraine and at the Bukovel tourist complex. The company also operates in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.</p>  <p>In April 2025, Uklon was acquired by JSC Kyivstar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyivstar Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/KYIV">KYIV</a>, KYIVW)), whose shares are traded on the U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq and which is a part of the VEON Group.<br></br><br></br>Official website: <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=gkI8_5bKAxKAA1VkeYQHinsgi29sNTF4a698B8TgHgfVnkNGuab_DVSEHN6WTrYQ8yyTgMlsYocfRqSRGCL-aJZFI0W6IVxiMo_nBxRYg0g=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uklon.com.ua</a></p>  <p align="justify"><strong>About Kyivstar Group Ltd.</strong></p>  <p align="justify">Kyivstar Group Ltd. ("Kyivstar") is a Nasdaq-listed holding company that operates JSC Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading digital operator and the first Ukrainian company to list on a U.S. stock exchange. Kyivstar’s companies provide 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.</p>  <p align="justify">For more information, please visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=gkI8_5bKAxKAA1VkeYQHivJoJYQznVXzZ0-ceY2YzJo4IdzciqXDmOuGv1C2qfdSs3c9PsdBhOM1RToYepByPEXNuqBpym8yKv5h8pXk3erzAlEJdhpQY_zbugk5wVURLlP4-nsOwJq9yEk-nCglm8uooyh1YDq8aTGfAPpwG5XHFOT-W4g1RbqfKgrg7xqImB6E8DlYm_aKEaHBeYNUxfuPguiVLJ3I5vqp-TPleDlxSm3pndccdAdXYHzmmyfBvlyi9lIj9FCjJ-qKLiVr-TcD1oVQidLasySKLZwoawKpxZ7Zc6CMzc-t8ARwJi3tQ_a6TnSeW-o3f5EbSrTLU3TkqzNdd_eJa45FQ2HEcFf8uiyLfpeC1ocvD4_Z8GJxQ3vpzRbM1zmsknTHAsbwfERpzlgW6XM4rXPwmAbRfL3dBpp33bgIvNbSz4gqCwDHJgfks_5wMH7Hr3da0v9iHhoqlIJdGvueJh5kLeipiFN0eWjepqpdmXaZselUylmTVyiFhH698SZ4vNz4pFzCZQ==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://investors.kyivstar.ua</a>.</p>  <p align="justify">Nasdaq tickers: KYIV; KYIVW</p>  <p align="justify"><strong>About Visa</strong></p>  <p align="justify">Visa (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/V">V</a>) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=X7lVcUxyU3P279cBunQElZ41ERQPKeIF2C1P76uDGOrjwMsSyxe6CBksKGhJ-cDPs0NBDE_VtQxrpBYlgUMHwsgFH2oK5-zpa9s1GhOr56M=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visa.com.ua</a>.</p>  <p align="justify"><strong>Disclaimer</strong><br></br><em>This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to, among other things, the launch and integration of the Visa Acceptance Platform into Uklon application. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from those expressed by such statements, including risks relating to Uklon’s integration with the Visa Acceptance Platform, among others discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" included in Kyivstar Group’s annual report on Form 20-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 16, 2026, as amended and supplemented from time to time, and in any other subsequent filings with the SEC by Kyivstar Group. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release and Kyivstar disclaims any obligation to update them, except as required by applicable laws.</em><strong><em> </em></strong></p>  <p><strong>Contact information</strong><br></br>Kyivstar Group Ltd<br></br>Investor Relations<br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=p6agQA3pS_HvQCAHOIvqj0JrEB9swnsKuhgCslV9g8meZKWojjrbThhAADk8nECT1BKAiQKxpEy0AXB1lK3ADOMnP5gZzdC54H9PgO9ueHk=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ir@kyivstargroup.com</a></p> <img alt="" class="__GNW8366DE3E__IMG" src="https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=OTc1NDkxNiM3Njg0OTA3IzIzMDMwOTg="></img> <br></br><img alt="" src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/MWQxMDdiNzUtOWUwOS00NTRkLWE2NGMtZDhjNzQzM2ZkOWNjLTEzMTQ2NDgtMjAyNi0wNy0wMS1lbg==/tiny/Kyivstar-Group-Ltd.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></img><p><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/566557cc-9ed1-45a3-afdb-f4c4979ca35a"><img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/566557cc-9ed1-45a3-afdb-f4c4979ca35a/small/kyivstar-logo-jpg.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="65" alt="Primary Logo"></img></a></p>

Kyivstar and Visa announced the Visa Acceptance Platform integration within Uklon, expanding digital payments in Ukraine. The upgrade enables faster in-app transactions, instant refunds, and stronger user engagement as Uklon serves 27 Ukrainian cities (plus Tashkent). This collaboration reinforces Kyivstar's digital ecosystem and could lift payments-related growth in the near term.

Kyivstar Subsidiary Uklon Launches Visa Acceptance Platform, Strengthening Digital Payments Infrastructure in Ukraine

AI Summary

Sentiment Rationale

Trading Thesis

Market-Moving

Key Facts

Companies Mentioned

Corporate Developments

Related News