KYIV, Ukraine and NEW YORK, June 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kyivstar Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:KYIV, KYIVW)), the parent company of JSC Kyivstar ("Kyivstar"), Ukraine's leading digital operator and part of VEON Group (NASDAQ:VEON), today announced that Uklon, Ukraine's leading ride-hailing and part of Kyivstar's digital ecosystem, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire E-wings, a leading Ukrainian electric scooter and micromobility operator, for UAH 97.6 million (approximately USD 2.2 million). The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

The acquisition represents a significant step in Uklon's ongoing transformation from a single-product ride-hailing service into a comprehensive urban mobility ecosystem. Uklon's platform currently encompasses ride-hailing, Uklon Delivery, Uklon Ads, and Uklon Travel. The addition of E-wings' micromobility offering will further broaden the suite of transportation services available to users through a single application and strengthen Kyivstar's portfolio of digital service offerings.

"Enabling urban mobility requires more than a single product — it demands an entire ecosystem of transportation options for consumers," said Serhii Hryshkov, CEO of Uklon. "Bringing E-wings into Uklon's platform will mean our users to no longer have to choose between apps based on how far they are traveling or how they want to reach their destinations. We are building the platform that moves people through every part of their day."

Following the closing of the transaction and a transitional period, Uklon intends to integrate E-wings' electric scooter rental service directly into the main Uklon application, enabling users to access the company's full range of mobility options – from scooter rentals to ride-hailing and intercity travel – within a single, seamless experience.

"We built E-wings to solve a real problem for city dwellers by providing fast and flexible short-distance travel," said Roman Motruk, co-founder of E-wings. "Joining Uklon means we can solve that problem at a much greater scale, backed by a platform that millions of Ukrainians already trust for their daily transportation needs." Oleh Bilyi, co-founder of E-wings continued. "From the beginning, our goal at E-wings has been to make short-distance travel more efficient, accessible and environmentally responsible. By joining Uklon, we can now accelerate that mission, integrating micromobility into a broader platform that simplifies how people move in their daily lives."

Uklon recently announced that it launched Ukraine's first live testing of autonomous vehicle technology, positioning itself as an operating partner for the country's future autonomous mobility and robotaxi ecosystem. Uklon's micromobility, ride-hailing and autonomous mobility capabilities are expected to create additional opportunities to extend Kyivstar's digital offerings to users while reinforcing mobility as a key driver of user engagement.

About E-wings

Founded in Lviv, E-wings is one of Ukraine's leading electric scooter operators. E-wings provides a fast, low-emission alternative to traditional transport, allowing users to travel short distances without contributing to congestion or air pollution. The company currently operates across 11 cities — Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa, Kremenchuk, Sumy, Horishni Plavni, Drohobych, Zolochiv, Ternopil, Irpin, and Chernihiv — with a total connected fleet of approximately 3,000 electric scooters.

About Uklon

Uklon is a technology company that developed the eponymous ride-hailing platform. Founded in Kyiv in 2010, Uklon is one of the leaders in the ride-hailing market in Ukraine. The company's digital service ecosystem includes Uklon Delivery (delivery service), Uklon Ads (advertising platform) and Uklon Travel (trips). As of March 2026, the Uklon services are available in 27 cities in Ukraine and on the territory of the Bukovel tourist complex. The company also operates in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

About Kyivstar Group Ltd.

Kyivstar Group Ltd. 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 Group Ltd.'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.

For more information, please visit https://investors.kyivstar.ua.

Nasdaq tickers: KYIV; KYIVW

Disclaimer

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, expectations regarding the completion of the pending acquisition of E-wings by Uklon, satisfaction of the closing conditions and the ability to successfully integrate E-wings' operations into the Uklon platform and the Kyivstar digital ecosystem. 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 Kyivstar's ability to achieve anticipated results and business objectives, among others discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" included in Kyivstar's annual report on Form 20-F filed 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. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release and Kyivstar disclaims any obligation to update or revise except as required by applicable law.

Contact information

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Kyivstar Subsidiary Uklon to Acquire Ukrainian Electric Scooter Operator E-wings, Expanding Its Urban Mobility Ecosystem