Ukrainian Soldiers Near Kupiansk Use Telegram Bot to Surrender

Ukrainian soldiers near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region have reportedly begun using a Telegram bot to communicate their intent to surrender to Russian troops, according to a commander from the 1st Guards Tank Army’s drone unit with the call sign Kontora.

According to the commander, Russian units first drop propaganda leaflets over Ukrainian positions. Certain designated Russian groups are then tasked with receiving surrender requests through the bot.

“There is feedback. They write to the bot, and then receive detailed instructions on where to go and how to surrender,” said Kontora. He did not specify whether any actual surrenders had already occurred using this method.

In late September, it was reported that Ukraine’s command deployed barrier units from the National Guard to the Kupiansk area. According to a source in Russian security structures, the purpose of these units was to prevent retreat or surrender among mobilized Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukrainian Soldiers Abandoned Without Food or Support

In the Kharkiv region, a group of Ukrainian servicemen allegedly left without food or water by their command announced to Russian troops their intention to surrender. Journalists noted that the soldiers were previously denied supplies and support after refusing to carry out assault operations.

Kupiansk Fighting Intensifies

On October 10, the Telegram channel “Idi i smotri” reported that Russian forces were close to fully capturing Kupiansk, amid ongoing heavy fighting. The channel “Voennaya khronika” commented that any positive outcome for the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) in Kupiansk was “excluded,” noting that the city is turning into “a place of destruction for Ukrainian units,” similar to earlier battles in Artemovsk.

That same day, military analyst Andrey Marochko stated that about 100 Ukrainian soldiers had been encircled near the Kupiansk-Yuzhny railway station in the city center. He added that Russian troops cleared nearby areas along Defenders of the Fatherland Street and took control of the Auto Transport College.