On July 22, the Ministry of Digital Transformation announced the expansion of the 5G pilot project to Kyiv. The signal is already available in the central part of the city and at operator facilities. But between "the signal exists" and "you can use it" — there is a gap as wide as martial law.
Lviv, Kharkiv, Borodianka — and now Kyiv
The pilot is rolling out in stages. Kyivstar conducted the first tests in February 2024 in its own office in Kyiv. Then came Lviv (April–October 2025), and in February 2026, a zone in Kharkiv was launched. Kyiv became the fourth major location; Odesa, according to plans, should join by the end of 2026.
All three operators — Kyivstar, Vodafone, and lifecell — are testing the network jointly. According to Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov, it takes approximately six months to supply equipment and build base stations.
Why you can't just "turn on" 5G
Full launch is blocked at the legal and security level. As the Ministry of Digital Transformation explains, 5G operates on frequencies that could potentially interfere with military equipment.
"To launch the technology, scientific research must be conducted and permission must be obtained from the General Staff. All of this can only be done after martial law ends"
— Prybytko, representative of the Ministry of Digital Transformation
Commercial launch also requires a frequency auction — it is also only possible after martial law ends, estimated at approximately one year after it concludes. In other words, even in the most optimistic scenario, between peace and actual 5G there will be at least a year of administrative procedures.
What exactly is being tested during the pilot
The pilot project has three specific objectives:
- Technical compatibility — whether 5G interferes with military communication systems in a real city.
- Infrastructure readiness — base stations already support 5G hardware, but require software modernization for commercial operation.
- Tariff model — operators have publicly stated that tariffs will not increase during the testing phase, but the situation may change after commercial launch.
According to lifecell CEO Mykhailo Shelemba, scaling will be gradual and will begin after the war — first major cities, then regions.
Kyiv as an argument, not a service
The appearance of 5G in the capital is primarily a signal to investors and partners: Ukraine is developing digital infrastructure even during wartime. This is part of the telecommunications strategy through 2030, which the government approved by decree along with permission for the pilot. The practical value for an ordinary Kyivan right now is zero: smartphones with 5G support exist, the network is available in the center, but there is no and will be no commercial access until martial law ends.
If the frequency auction takes place within a year after peace, and operators already have ready infrastructure — will Ukraine manage to launch commercial 5G before most Central European countries complete their transition to it?
