Ukraine Travel Guide - Communications

Country code: 380. Telephone cards for public payphones can be bought in post offices.

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to main urban areas.

Internet cafes are available in major cities.

Services are erratic. Letters to Western Europe can take two weeks or more. The main post office in Kyiv is located at Khreshchatik 22 and is open 24 hours. Telephone calls can be made here and faxes can be sent.

Post office hours: Generally 0800-1700.

Prior to the November 2004 presidential elections, state-run TV tended to toe the government line. However, during the dispute that followed the election, balanced reports were broadcast for the first time in years. Following his election, Viktor Yushchenko declared his belief in press freedom, in contrast to his predecessor, who suppressed the opposition press. Under President Kuchma, several opposition newspapers were closed and a number of journalists investigating high-profile crimes died in mysterious circumstances. The most famous of these was Georgiy Gongadze, who disappeared in 2000 and whose body was found a year later. A parliamentary commission investigating the case believes Kuchma to be one of the organisers of the abduction, an allegation which he denies.

• The most widely-read include the daily Fakty i Kommentarii, Kievskiye Vedomosti, Silski Visti and Vecherniye Vesti.
• The Russian press is also widely available.
• The Kyiv Post is a daily English-language newspaper.
• Western newspapers are available in Kyiv.

• The state-run National TV Company of Ukraine operates UT1, UT2 and UT3.
• Commercial channels include ICTV, Inter TV, 5 Kanal, STB, Novy Canal and Studio 1+1.

• Three networks are operated by the state-run National Radio Company of Ukraine.
• Commercial stations include Europa Plus, Hit FM, Nashe FM and Russkoye Radio.