PJSC Kyivstar, Ukraine's largest telecommunications operator, has introduced the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) as part of an improvement to its management model. The position will be held by Volodymyr Lutchenko starting Oct. 2; he has headed the company's technology division (CTO) since 2021, according to a company press release issued Tuesday.
"The telecommunications business remains the foundation of the Kyivstar Group Ltd. ecosystem, as it creates the basis for developing and scaling new digital services. It is especially important for us not only to formulate ambitious plans, but also to ensure their rapid and high-quality implementation. That is why we decided to strengthen Kyivstar's operational management," Kyivstar Group Ltd. President Oleksandr Komarov was quoted as saying in the statement.
As chief operating officer, Lutchenko will be responsible for the overall operations of the leading electronic communications operator, ensuring the effective implementation of the business strategy, uninterrupted and reliable network operations, high-quality customer service, as well as operational efficiency and business resilience.
Lutchenko has been responsible for Kyivstar's technological development for more than five years and, as chief technology officer (CTO), played a key role in strengthening the reliability of the company's infrastructure during the full-scale war. Under his leadership, the network, energy and security architecture was transformed, multilayer network redundancy was implemented, and cyber defenses were strengthened. During this period, Kyivstar significantly expanded its 4G coverage, launched and successfully completed a project to phase out 3G technology, launched 5G pilot projects, modernized its infrastructure and introduced Starlink Direct to Cell satellite technology.
As of June 30, 2026, Kyivstar served about 21.8 million mobile subscribers and more than 1.3 million fixed-line subscribers. The company provides services using a broad range of mobile and fixed technologies, including 4G, Big Data, cloud solutions, cybersecurity services, digital television and others. Kyivstar is wholly owned by Kyivstar Group Ltd (Nasdaq: KYIV; KYIVW), whose shares trade on the U.S. Nasdaq stock exchange.
As reported, in the first half of 2026, Kyivstar increased revenue by 29.1% compared with the same period in 2025 to UAH 28.9 billion, and by 22.8% in dollar terms to $662 million. EBITDA increased by 24.5% to UAH 15.8 billion, or by 17.8% to $361 million.
