The largest mobile operator Kyivstar has entered the second phase of increasing energy independence - the company has ordered a large number of stationary generators for uninterrupted operation of the network during power outages, said Kyivstar President Oleksandr Komarov.

“We have already invested almost UAH 1 billion in ensuring the energy independence of the network, and we will continue to invest further. We are already planning the second phase and will accelerate its start,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

As a first step in the process of implementing the second phase of increasing energy independence, Kyivstar ordered a large number of stationary generators that will cover up to 15% of the needs of key sites.

"Now we are in the process of implementing the second phase, we have already taken the first step - we have ordered a large number of stationary generators. It will cover up to 15% of the needs of key sites. Why not 100%? We have thousands of key sites throughout the country, and some of them are located on the roofs of high-rise buildings, in some places we don’t have enough land to install stationary generators. After we install them, it will be clear how and where we are moving next,” Komarov said.

He also pointed out that the development of its own generation would not solve Kyivstar’s problems since the company’s 14,500 technological facilities are dispersed throughout the country.

“Our almost 14,500 technological facilities are dispersed throughout the country. If we are talking about a fixed Internet network, this is about 70,000 switches, conditionally, we can acquire a generating company, but this will not change anything for us technologically,” said the president of Kyivstar.