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VEON and Kyivstar increase Ukraine investment commitment to USD 1 billion, attend Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin

Berlin and Kyiv, 10 June 2024: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services, announces that VEON, through its 100%-owned subsidiary Kyivstar, plans to increase its commitment to rebuild Ukraine’s digital infrastructure to USD 1 billion over the five-year period from 2023 through 2027. This is an increase from the previously announced USD 600 million investment commitment for the three-year period between. The commitment will fund investments into network and digital services, including potential acquisitions or the development of new assets, social contributions and partnerships.

The Chairman of VEON board of directors and VEON founder Augie Fabela, VEON and Kyivstar board member and former U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, and Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov will attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 in Berlin later this week, to highlight VEON’s and Kyivstar’s current contributions to Ukraine’s resilience as well as VEON’s future commitment to the rebuilding and restoration of Ukraine, including the aforementioned upgraded investment plan.

“VEON and Kyivstar support Ukraine’s resilience, recovery and reconstruction in every possible way, from meeting the vital connectivity needs of the country to serving the population with digital capabilities, from futureproofing our network with OpenRAN partnerships to ensuring energy resilience and continuity, from supporting Ukrainian businesses today to investing in the country’s digital ecosystem for the future. Having seen the support of VEON’s international investors, I am proud to note that Kyivstar is a significant example of how a socially responsible business with international investors can support a country through war.” said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar. “With the power we take from our own example, we will join the call at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024 for businesses to invest in Ukraine and invest now! I’m happy that we will do so with an increased investment commitment of our own: USD 1 billion over 5 years.”

VEON’s Kyivstar was named Ukraine’s largest foreign investor in 2022 and 2023 by Forbes Ukraine, with a capex investment of UAH 12.3 billion over those two years – approximately USD 176 million and USD 174 million in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Highlights of Kyivstar’s investments into Ukraine’s digital infrastructure include the following:

About Kyivstar 
Kyivstar is the largest telecommunications operator in Ukraine with 24 million mobile subscribers and over 1.1 million home internet subscribers. As Ukraine’s market-leading operator, Kyivstar maintained network availability above the 90% level on average throughout the past two years, supporting the connectivity of not only its own customers but also the broader Ukrainian population. Kyivstar is 100% owned by the international VEON Group. 

About VEON
VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. Headquartered in Amsterdam, VEON is listed on NASDAQ and Euronext. For more information visit: www.veon.com

Disclaimer

This 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. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, VEON’s strategy and investment plans. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Furthermore, elements of this release contain or may contain, “inside information” as defined under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014.

Contact

VEON
Hande Asik
Group Director of Communications
pr@veon.com


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