The Ukrainian resistance group “Yellow Ribbon” has revamped its chatbot, named “Together,” to focus solely on safety instructions for residents in temporarily occupied territories. This change follows a report by Kyiv Independent, which raised concerns about the potential dangers posed to activists by the tasks suggested by the movement.
The announcement was made via Telegram, emphasizing the need to enhance user protection. The group stated, “We want to highlight that the chatbot now only contains safety guidelines for individuals in occupied areas. This is a necessary step to ensure the utmost safety of our citizens. The bot will be fully reformatted for new tasks soon.”
“We want to highlight that the chatbot now only contains safety guidelines for individuals in occupied areas. This is a necessary step to ensure the utmost safety of our citizens. The bot will be fully reformatted for new tasks soon.”
On April 24, Kyiv Independent published an investigation into the “Yellow Ribbon” movement and the women’s partisan group “Evil Mavka,” both operating in occupied territories. The report claimed that the recruitment methods and tasks assigned to activists posed significant risks.
According to the findings, recruitment occurred through an unencrypted Telegram chatbot. The investigation noted that registering and familiarizing oneself with safety protocols took about 13 minutes, and following safety protocols was not mandatory.
Tasks suggested by the bot included photographing pro-Ukrainian symbols in public, burning Russian flags, publicly listening to Ukrainian songs, and participating in protests. Journalists from Kyiv Independent described these activities as “suicidal.” One notable case involved activist Sevilya Velieva, who was detained by Russian security services in occupied Melitopol in 2024 after her location was identified through photos and surveillance footage.
Between 2022 and 2023, representatives of “Yellow Ribbon” frequently reported arrests and killings of activists, but the organization has since ceased discussing these incidents. In response to inquiries from Kyiv Independent regarding activists who had been tortured, killed, or gone missing, “Yellow Ribbon” denied such occurrences. According to spokesperson Rudенко, the group asserted that pro-Ukrainian actions in occupied territories do not fall under criminal prosecution, even by Russian law, but may only result in administrative penalties.
An anonymous source from the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense claimed that the movement’s organizers unjustly endanger their activists’ lives while profiting from their actions. The British company IN2, which supported “Yellow Ribbon” and “Evil Mavka,” received funding from the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada.
In response to the Kyiv Independent investigation, Hanna Shelest, head of the supervisory board of the Ukrainian Institute and a consultant for IN2, denied the allegations against her. She accused the journalists of using a “fake report” and “lying witnesses,” and criticized them for quoting her from an off-the-record conversation.
Shelest characterized the article as a “devaluation” of the efforts of Ukrainians in occupied territories who decide how to resist occupation. She acknowledged some criticism regarding specific tasks but maintained that each individual makes their own choices.
“From the very beginning of the chatbot’s creation in 2022, there are several points for which I can apologize, although I was not responsible for that area,” Shelest stated.
She refuted claims that the chatbot’s format itself poses risks to activists, asserting that detailed communication occurs through other methods not disclosed for security reasons. Meanwhile, Olga Rudенко, editor-in-chief of Kyiv Independent, addressed the publication’s stance on Facebook, emphasizing that the safety of individuals in occupied territories is paramount.
Rudенко responded to accusations that the article undermines resistance movements, stating that it highlights those who neglect the safety of participants. She also clarified the decision to include a quote from Shelest from an off-the-record conversation, asserting that the public interest outweighed confidentiality concerns. According to Rudенко, this quote illustrated that Shelest, despite her involvement with “Yellow Ribbon,” was unaware of the tasks assigned to individuals in occupied territories.
The "Yellow Ribbon" resistance movement has updated its chatbot to focus solely on safety guidelines for individuals in occupied areas, following a critical investigation by Kyiv Independent. The report raised significant concerns about the risks posed to activists by the movement's previous tasks and recruitment methods.
Source: Kyiv Independent