Ukraine’s Kyivstar picks Google Gemma to build sovereign Ukrainian language LLM

Ukrainian operator Kyivstar, working with the country’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and WINWIN AI Center of Excellence, has chosen Google’s open‑source Gemma model as the foundation for a sovereign national large language model. The project aims to create a Ukrainian‑trained LLM that reflects local language, culture and history while keeping sensitive data within national borders, enabling AI services across sectors from government to healthcare.