diff --git a/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md b/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md
index 0555dd1..5a6215f 100644
--- a/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md
+++ b/docs/FUNCTIONAL.md
@@ -430,9 +430,11 @@ unanswered reply. Guests cannot send feedback (the entry is hidden). A player th
 barred from feedback (a role, not a full account block) sees the send control disabled.
 
 ### Telegram support chat
-A user can also reach the operators straight from the Telegram bot: anything they send the bot
-other than `/start` — text, a photo, a voice message, a file — is forwarded into the operators'
-private support group, grouped into a per-user thread. The user sees no automatic reply; an
+A user can also reach the operators straight from the Telegram bot. The `/support` command replies
+with the support desk's working hours and what to include (a description and, when possible,
+screenshots). Anything else they send the bot other than `/start` — text, a photo, a voice message,
+a file — is forwarded into the operators' private support group, grouped into a per-user thread. The
+user sees no automatic reply to a forwarded message; an
 operator answers from that thread and the bot delivers the answer back as an ordinary bot message,
 so to the user it is a quiet one-to-one conversation. Operators can block a user (the bot then
 silently ignores their messages) or clear a thread's messages. This is independent of the in-app
diff --git a/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md b/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md
index a24f538..5244050 100644
--- a/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md
+++ b/docs/FUNCTIONAL_ru.md
@@ -441,9 +441,11 @@ Telegram. На сенсорном устройстве в настройках 
 обратную связь (роль, а не полная блокировка аккаунта), видит кнопку отправки недоступной.
 
 ### Чат поддержки в Telegram
-С операторами можно поговорить и прямо из Telegram-бота: всё, что пользователь присылает боту,
-кроме `/start` — текст, фото, голосовое, файл, — пересылается в закрытую группу поддержки операторов
-и собирается в отдельную ветку на пользователя. Пользователь не получает автоответа; оператор
+С операторами можно поговорить и прямо из Telegram-бота. Команда `/support` отвечает графиком работы
+поддержки и напоминанием, что приложить (подробное описание и, по возможности, скриншоты). Всё
+остальное, что пользователь присылает боту, кроме `/start` — текст, фото, голосовое, файл, —
+пересылается в закрытую группу поддержки операторов и собирается в отдельную ветку на пользователя.
+Пользователь не получает автоответа на пересланное сообщение; оператор
 отвечает из этой ветки, и бот доставляет ответ обратно обычным сообщением — для пользователя это
 тихий диалог один на один. Операторы могут заблокировать пользователя (тогда бот молча игнорирует
 его сообщения) или очистить сообщения ветки. Это независимо от встроенной «Обратной связи» выше —
diff --git a/platform/telegram/README.md b/platform/telegram/README.md
index 39f8299..b187f6f 100644
--- a/platform/telegram/README.md
+++ b/platform/telegram/README.md
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ it. See [`docs/ARCHITECTURE.md`](../../docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) §1/§3/§10/§12/
   validation gRPC API the gateway calls during Telegram auth, on the trusted internal
   network with no VPN. Because it needs no Telegram reachability, **game login stays up
   even when the bot or the bot-link is down**.
-- **`cmd/bot`** (remote) — runs the Bot API long-poll (Mini App launch + `/start`
-  deep-links) and `sendMessage`, the only component reaching the Telegram Bot API. It
+- **`cmd/bot`** (remote) — runs the Bot API long-poll (Mini App launch, `/start`
+  deep-links, the `/support` info reply) and `sendMessage`, the only component reaching
+  the Telegram Bot API. It
   holds **no inbound port**: it dials the gateway over a reverse **mTLS bot-link** and
   executes the send commands the gateway pushes, so its egress can run on a host with
   native Telegram access (a VPN sidecar in the test contour, a separate host in prod).
@@ -49,6 +50,13 @@ Telegram identity to an account from a browser. Both map a rejection to gRPC
   chat" — rather than a dangling "@"). This is otherwise **self-contained**
   — the bot never calls back into the game, so `/start` onboarding works even when the game
   is down.
+- **Support command.** `/support` replies with a fixed support-desk info message — the
+  operators' working hours and what to include (a description and, when possible,
+  screenshots). Like `/start` it answers only in a private chat and is **Russian or
+  English** by the sender's reported language, and it is listed in the bot's command menu
+  (localized, Russian/English). It is a dedicated command handler, so it intercepts
+  `/support` before the support relay below — the command line itself is not forwarded to
+  operators, while the user's following description still is.
 - **Moderated-chat gating.** When `TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID` names a channel's linked discussion
   group, the bot gates who may write there. The group **allows sending by default** (a
   human setting) and the bot only **restricts** — Telegram intersects the chat default with
@@ -76,7 +84,8 @@ Telegram identity to an account from a browser. Both map a rejection to gRPC
   message. State (user→topic map, block list, relayed ids) is a JSON file under
   `TELEGRAM_SUPPORT_STATE_DIR` on a persistent volume — the bot host has no database. The bot must
   be an **administrator** in the group with the **manage-topics** and **delete-messages** rights.
-  The relay is bot-local (no backend, no bot-link) and the user gets no automatic reply.
+  The relay is bot-local (no backend, no bot-link) and a forwarded message gets no automatic
+  reply (the `/support` command above aside).
 - **Promo bot (optional).** When `TELEGRAM_PROMO_BOT_TOKEN` is set, the container also
   runs a **second, standalone** bot whose only job is to answer `/start` with a localized
   message and a button that opens the **main** bot's Mini App. The button is a **URL** to
diff --git a/platform/telegram/internal/bot/bot.go b/platform/telegram/internal/bot/bot.go
index 982e3f5..061340f 100644
--- a/platform/telegram/internal/bot/bot.go
+++ b/platform/telegram/internal/bot/bot.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Package bot wraps the Telegram Bot API client (github.com/go-telegram/bot): it
 // runs the long-poll update loop — replying to /start (with an optional deep-link
-// payload) and any other message with a Mini App launch button — and sends the
+// payload), to /support with the support-desk info message, and to any other message
+// with a Mini App launch button — and sends the
 // notification and admin messages the connector requests. The bot token lives only
 // in this process.
 package bot
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ func New(cfg Config, log *zap.Logger) (*Bot, error) {
 	opts := []tgbot.Option{
 		tgbot.WithDefaultHandler(t.handleUpdate),
 		tgbot.WithMessageTextHandler("/start", tgbot.MatchTypePrefix, t.handleStart),
+		tgbot.WithMessageTextHandler("/support", tgbot.MatchTypePrefix, t.handleSupport),
 	}
 	if t.supportEnabled() {
 		t.supportLocks = newKeyedMutex()
@@ -186,11 +188,26 @@ func New(cfg Config, log *zap.Logger) (*Bot, error) {
 // Run sets the bot commands and the Mini App menu button, then blocks on the
 // long-poll update loop until ctx is cancelled.
 func (t *Bot) Run(ctx context.Context) {
+	// Command menu: the default (fallback) list is English; a Russian-scoped list
+	// localises the labels for ru clients. A language scope replaces the whole list, so
+	// it repeats /start with its own Russian label.
 	if _, err := t.api.SetMyCommands(ctx, &tgbot.SetMyCommandsParams{
-		Commands: []models.BotCommand{{Command: "start", Description: "Open Scrabble"}},
+		Commands: []models.BotCommand{
+			{Command: "start", Description: "Play Scrabble"},
+			{Command: "support", Description: "Contact the administration"},
+		},
 	}); err != nil {
 		t.log.Warn("set commands failed", zap.Error(err))
 	}
+	if _, err := t.api.SetMyCommands(ctx, &tgbot.SetMyCommandsParams{
+		LanguageCode: "ru",
+		Commands: []models.BotCommand{
+			{Command: "start", Description: "Играть в «Эрудита»"},
+			{Command: "support", Description: "Связаться с администрацией"},
+		},
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.log.Warn("set ru commands failed", zap.Error(err))
+	}
 	if _, err := t.api.SetChatMenuButton(ctx, &tgbot.SetChatMenuButtonParams{
 		MenuButton: models.MenuButtonWebApp{
 			Type:   models.MenuButtonTypeWebApp,
diff --git a/platform/telegram/internal/bot/supportreply.go b/platform/telegram/internal/bot/supportreply.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f4270c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/telegram/internal/bot/supportreply.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+package bot
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"strings"
+
+	tgbot "github.com/go-telegram/bot"
+	"github.com/go-telegram/bot/models"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+)
+
+// The /support command replies with a fixed support-desk info message — the operators'
+// working hours and what to include (a description and, when possible, screenshots). It
+// is a dedicated command handler (registered like /start), so it intercepts "/support"
+// before the support relay: the command line itself is not forwarded into an operator
+// topic, while the user's following description still is.
+
+// handleSupport replies to /support with the localized support-desk info message. Like
+// handleStart it answers only in a private chat — in the moderated group the bot never
+// chats — and it sends a plain text message with no launch button.
+func (t *Bot) handleSupport(ctx context.Context, api *tgbot.Bot, update *models.Update) {
+	if update.Message == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if update.Message.Chat.Type != models.ChatTypePrivate {
+		return
+	}
+	// The sender's Telegram language rides on the message itself (Message.from.language_code);
+	// fall back to English when it is absent, matching startText.
+	lang := ""
+	if update.Message.From != nil {
+		lang = update.Message.From.LanguageCode
+	}
+	if _, err := api.SendMessage(ctx, &tgbot.SendMessageParams{
+		ChatID: update.Message.Chat.ID,
+		Text:   supportText(lang),
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.log.Warn("reply to support failed", zap.Error(err))
+	}
+}
+
+// supportText returns the localized /support reply. Russian is used when lang (the IETF
+// language tag the Telegram client reports on the message's sender) starts with "ru",
+// English otherwise and when it is absent — mirroring startText's language choice.
+func supportText(lang string) string {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(strings.ToLower(lang), "ru") {
+		return ruSupport
+	}
+	return enSupport
+}
+
+// ruSupport and enSupport are the Russian and English /support replies; the English one
+// is the fallback for any non-Russian or missing sender language.
+const (
+	ruSupport = "Поддержка «Эрудита» на связи с 08:00 до 18:00 (по времени UTC). " +
+		"Если Вы столкнулись с проблемой, подробно опишите её и добавьте, по возможности, скриншоты. " +
+		"Также будем рады выслушать Ваши пожелания и предложения по функционалу игры. " +
+		"Ответим в самое ближайшее время."
+	enSupport = "“Erudite” support is available from 08:00 to 18:00 (UTC). " +
+		"If you have run into a problem, please describe it in detail and attach screenshots if you can. " +
+		"We would also be glad to hear your wishes and suggestions about the game's features. " +
+		"We will reply as soon as possible."
+)
diff --git a/platform/telegram/internal/bot/supportreply_test.go b/platform/telegram/internal/bot/supportreply_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa6ac08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/platform/telegram/internal/bot/supportreply_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package bot
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/go-telegram/bot/models"
+)
+
+func TestHandleSupportRepliesPrivateOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("english by default", func(t *testing.T) {
+		api := &fakeBotAPI{}
+		b := newTestBot(t, api)
+		b.handleSupport(context.Background(), b.api, &models.Update{Message: &models.Message{
+			Chat: models.Chat{ID: 42, Type: models.ChatTypePrivate}, Text: "/support",
+		}})
+		if api.chatID != "42" {
+			t.Errorf("chat_id = %q, want 42", api.chatID)
+		}
+		// No reported language -> English support reply.
+		if !strings.Contains(api.text, "support is available") {
+			t.Errorf("text = %q, want the English support reply", api.text)
+		}
+		// A plain info message carries no launch button.
+		if api.replyMarkup != "" {
+			t.Errorf("reply_markup = %q, want none", api.replyMarkup)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("russian for a ru sender", func(t *testing.T) {
+		api := &fakeBotAPI{}
+		b := newTestBot(t, api)
+		b.handleSupport(context.Background(), b.api, &models.Update{Message: &models.Message{
+			Chat: models.Chat{ID: 42, Type: models.ChatTypePrivate}, Text: "/support",
+			From: &models.User{ID: 7, LanguageCode: "ru"},
+		}})
+		if !strings.Contains(api.text, "Поддержка «Эрудита»") {
+			t.Errorf("text = %q, want the Russian support reply", api.text)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("group ignored", func(t *testing.T) {
+		api := &fakeBotAPI{}
+		b := newTestBot(t, api)
+		b.handleSupport(context.Background(), b.api, &models.Update{Message: &models.Message{
+			Chat: models.Chat{ID: -100, Type: models.ChatTypeSupergroup}, Text: "/support",
+		}})
+		if api.chatID != "" {
+			t.Errorf("group /support got a reply (chat=%q); the bot never chats in the group", api.chatID)
+		}
+	})
+}