Video: The first mobile phone call in Ukraine took place in 1993
On July 1, 1993, Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk officially launched the country’s first mobile network.
During the ceremony, he made the country’s first-ever mobile call, reaching out to Ivan Piskov, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Germany.
This landmark event marked the beginning of the development of modern digital infrastructure, which today is an integral part of every citizen’s daily life.
Before the call began, the head of state symbolically cut a traditional telephone cable, signifying the transition to wireless technologies.
The historic phone call between Kyiv and Bonn lasted only 40 seconds, but it marked a monumental breakthrough for the young, independent state. The call was made using the flagship model of the time—the Nokia Mobira Cityman 150.
This device weighed about half a kilogram and cost approximately 3,000 euros, which at the time was equivalent to the price of a modest apartment in the capital.
Leonid Kravchuk was officially presented with his first phone, but the country’s leader was far from able to use it on a regular basis right away, as his device was only the fourth registered phone in the entire republic.
This technological milestone had enormous geopolitical and symbolic significance for the country’s international image on the world stage.
Former Minister of Communications Oleg Prozhivalsky recalled that the first call made it possible to “demonstrate that our country is not lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of technology.”
The first words spoken on the Ukrainian mobile network were as concise and restrained as possible: “Ivan Mykolayovych, good afternoon. This is Leonid Makarovych Kravchuk.”
During its early years, this new form of communication remained a symbol of immense wealth and high social status.
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