Thousands of kilometers of cable underground, hundreds of hours of work under fire, and thousands of restored connections are the daily routine of Ukrainian providers who provide Internet access in extremely difficult conditions in the frontline areas.
In 2024, at the request of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the German government provided grants to 68 Ukrainian providers through the ReACT4UA program. The total amount of grants amounted to 700,000 euros. Most of the projects are being implemented in Kyiv region – 16, Sumy region – 13, Kharkiv region – 11, and Kherson region – 6. The program was implemented by the federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Kharkiv-based Strumin
Kharkiv-based Strumin, a fiber optic company, has achieved energy independence. To operate during long power outages, the company needed fast-charging batteries that could power equipment for 12-16 hours, so that emergency repair teams could reach remote sites and charge them.
Thanks to the grant, the company installed powerful batteries and solar panels, saving up to UAH 10,000 a month on electricity in the summer and up to UAH 14,000 on fuel for generators.
Myrna from Chernihiv region
Svitlana Myrna from Chernihiv Oblast founded BRAIN STREAM LLC, a six-person company, to bring the Internet to her village and surrounding areas.
Svitlana’s idea was not just to connect residents to the Internet, but to open up unprecedented opportunities for them – access to information and modern digital services. So the company laid cables underground, which saved the network from shelling during the occupation.
The company used grant funds to purchase professional equipment and connect new villages: Khoroshe Ozero, Ombysh and Pechi. For many villagers, it was the first time they had access to high-quality Internet.
Danet from Dergachi
In the frontline town of Dergachi in Kharkiv region, Danet LLC not only restored the damaged network but also increased the number of Internet connections by 15%. The company operates on fiber optics.
After the return of residents and the arrival of internally displaced persons from the northern regions, the company modernized the network and improved the quality of services.
It is especially important that the city, located 2 km from the border with Russia, maintains connectivity despite constant shelling.
Ostapenko from Sumy region
Entrepreneur Serhiy Ostapenko from Sumy region was able to connect 10 settlements to the Internet using GPON technology – gigabit fiber optic connection.
During the most difficult months, he turned off tariffs for all users so that people could communicate with their families.
Grant funds helped to modernize the network and create new jobs. As a result, the Internet connection has become available even in the most remote corners of the region.
Zvyazkovy
In Baryshivka, Kyiv region, Zvyazkovyi LLC has provided high-speed internet to 10,000 residents in 19 apartment buildings. The company increased the network’s battery life to 72 hours during blackouts, which is especially important for the region that has experienced occupation.
Prior to receiving the grant, the company suspended network expansion and connection of new homes, using the funds to purchase batteries, generators and fuel to ensure uninterrupted communication for current subscribers.
Mykolaiv-based Neon
Thanks to the grant, Mykolaiv-based provider Neon LLC moved almost 10 kilometers of network cables underground, which protected the infrastructure from shelling.
Despite the loss of half of its pre-war subscribers, the company continues to operate and connect new customers. For a city that regularly suffers from enemy attacks, this is an extraordinary contribution.
The company also purchased uninterruptible power supplies: a lithium-iron-phosphate battery and a hybrid inverter.
Kherson-based Pluton-SV
In Kherson, Pluton-SV, where the majority of employees are women because men have left to defend the country, is laying networks underground and training new specialists.
The provider has re-laid 2 kilometers of its backbone networks – now cable internet lines run underground instead of outdoors from tower to tower, as they used to. This protects the networks from destruction as a result of shelling by the Russian military and increases the stability of Internet connection.
We also purchased 6 rechargeable batteries with a total capacity of 600 ampere-hours to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the event of a censored power outage.
Resilience and help
These stories are about the resilience of Ukrainian business and its ability to operate even in the most difficult conditions. We thank the providers and their teams for providing Ukrainians with vital communications every day.
Non-repayable financial assistance to Ukrainian telecommunications service providers in the de-occupied territories is provided within the framework of the international cooperation project ReACT4UA (“Application and Implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the field of Trade”), funded by the German government and implemented by the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ Ukraine) GmbH.
The grants are made possible by additional funding from the German government. The program is aimed at supporting Ukraine’s economic sustainability, recovery and growth, creating better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and supporting innovation and exports.
The strategic implementer of the program is the German federal company Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The implementing partner is the NGO Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO). Information support is provided by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
