Ukraine has made significant progress in narrowing the digital divide, with an increase in access to the Internet (by an average of 289% over the last decade, 2010-2019). At the same time, progress has been uneven across the country. Kyiv has the highest level of internet access in the country (84% of households), followed by Dnipropetrovska and Zakarpattia regions (79% and 76% respectively). In contrast, the region with the lowest level of Internet access was Rivne, where only 49% of citizens had access to broadband services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These data indicate that the rollout of Internet networks throughout Ukraine is ongoing. In addition, the Russian Federation is actively trying to fragment Ukraine’s digital space, for example, by moving people in the occupied territories to Russian networks (e.g., by distributing Russian SIM cards). This will isolate this population from access to truthful information about the war and provide a new outlet for Russian propaganda. Ukraine’s efforts in this area, including the use of donated Starlink dishes, are a good step towards ensuring access to the Internet and the free flow of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n