Ukraine's New Chatbot Initiative Aids Families of Missing Russian Soldiers

Ukraine has unveiled a new online chatbot service to help Russian citizens with missing soldier relatives get information about their loved ones.

The initiative aims to provide objective and transparent details about whether the soldiers are confirmed killed or held as prisoners of war (POWs), Reuters reported.

Named "Я хочу найти" (pronounced "Ya khochu nayti"), which translates to "I want to find" in Russian, the chatbot will operate on the popular Telegram app, widely used in both Russia and Ukraine.

Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency, stated, "Russian citizens can officially apply to this (project) to get objective information about their relatives... which is being hidden from them by the governing regime in the Russian Federation."

The move comes as more Russians are seeking answers about the fate of their missing soldiers, putting pressure on Moscow 22 months into a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia have engaged in prisoner exchanges throughout the conflict, with the most recent exchange involving 230 Ukrainian captives, mainly soldiers, and six civilians, in return for 248 Russian troops.

The "I want to find" project encourages individuals to provide information about missing soldiers, which will be cross-checked against Ukrainian databases containing details of killed, captured, and missing Russian soldiers.

Irina Krynina, a co-founder of a civic movement dedicated to locating and repatriating Russian soldiers, presented the project. Krynina, who identified herself as a Russian citizen, emphasized the significance of the initiative. "If we get the appropriate answer, for example, that your relative is held captive in Ukraine, you can sign up for a consultation... and we will organize a video call to confirm (the person's identity)," she explained.

The video calls are intended to offer conclusive evidence that can be presented to Russian authorities, enabling families to demand the release of their relatives through diplomatic channels and potential prisoner exchanges.

The Ukrainian government anticipates that this approach will not only provide answers to concerned Russian families but also create diplomatic leverage, prompting Moscow to address the issue of missing soldiers in negotiations and discussions related to the conflict.