Ukraine’s largest mobile operator, Kyivstar, launched the country’s first 5G pilot in Lviv’s historic center on 12 January—but only after the network passed a test no peacetime country requires: approval from the military’s Electronic Warfare Directorate.
5G operates on frequencies that could interfere with military systems—or, if properly integrated, enhance them.
“The main condition for launching 5G during martial law is the absence of obstacles to the work of the military,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation stated. The ministry thanked the “Electronic Warfare Directorate and the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their professional and constructive cooperation,” which made the launch possible.
The coordination matters. Ukraine’s electronic warfare units are fighting a daily battle against Russian jamming and drone attacks. 5G operates on frequencies that could interfere with military systems—or, if properly integrated, enhance them.
Why militaries want 5G
Ukraine isn’t building 5G in a vacuum. NATO allies and adversaries alike are racing to harness the technology for warfare.
Nordic nations recently conducted the “world’s first cross-border 5G military slicing” across Norway, Finland, and Sweden—an area the size of Texas, California, and Montana combined—involving more than 10,000 troops, according to telecom research firm StrandConsult. Sweden’s Armed Forces plan to use commercial 5G networks “in times of peace, crisis, and war.”
The US Department of War calls 5G “the foundation for a new networked way of war.”
China launched military-grade 5G base stations in January 2025, specifically designed for drone coordination and autonomous combat systems, according to RCR Wireless. Beijing aims to “lead AI warfare, including electronic warfare, by 2030.”
The technology’s military value comes down to speed and scale. 5G reduces latency to as low as 1 millisecond—compared to 20-30 milliseconds for 4G—enabling real-time drone coordination, battlefield data transmission, and autonomous systems that can’t afford delays. The US Department of War calls 5G “the foundation for a new networked way of war.”
From bombed-out to 5G-connected
The rollout plan carries its own weight. After Lviv, the network expands to Borodyanka—the town that Russian bombers devastated in March 2022, destroying its entire central district. Then, Kharkiv, Ukraine’s most-shelled major city.
“Borodyanka is a symbol of Ukraine’s reconstruction after significant post-war destruction,” a Ministry of Digital Transformation official told Kyiv Post. 5G was supposed to launch in 2022. Russia’s invasion changed priorities—but also made the military-compatibility testing essential rather than optional.
Trending Now
“While the enemy is trying to destroy our infrastructure, we are modernizing it and taking a step into the future,” First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said. “The 5G pilot launch is a clear signal to the world that Ukraine is moving toward the future.”
The pilot will run through the end of 2026, testing “compatibility of 5G equipment with military equipment”.
More than 30 base stations supporting 5G have been installed across the country, according to the ministry. The pilot will run through the end of 2026, testing “compatibility of 5G equipment with military equipment” before nationwide scaling after martial law ends.
During testing, download speeds reached approximately 500 Mbps per user—roughly 25 times faster than the average 4G connection, according to Ukrainian outlet Informator.
The approach reflects how war has changed Ukraine’s infrastructure development. The country now builds systems designed for dual civilian-military use from the start—the same logic that forced Ukrainian banks to develop digital resilience capabilities the EU still lacks.
