diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7752923..9ec227f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@ __pycache__/
 test.db
 web/node_modules
 web/dist
+web/tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
diff --git a/app/users/repository.py b/app/users/repository.py
index 080e5fd..48bc83b 100644
--- a/app/users/repository.py
+++ b/app/users/repository.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy import func, select
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
 from app.users.models import User
@@ -31,3 +31,19 @@ async def list_users_by_ids(db: AsyncSession, user_ids: list[int]) -> list[User]
         return []
     result = await db.execute(select(User).where(User.id.in_(user_ids)))
     return list(result.scalars().all())
+
+
+async def search_users_by_username(
+    db: AsyncSession,
+    *,
+    query: str,
+    limit: int = 20,
+    exclude_user_id: int | None = None,
+) -> list[User]:
+    normalized = query.lower().strip().lstrip("@")
+    stmt = select(User).where(func.lower(User.username).like(f"%{normalized}%"))
+    if exclude_user_id is not None:
+        stmt = stmt.where(User.id != exclude_user_id)
+    stmt = stmt.order_by(User.username.asc()).limit(limit)
+    result = await db.execute(stmt)
+    return list(result.scalars().all())
diff --git a/app/users/router.py b/app/users/router.py
index 60d176b..ed2353b 100644
--- a/app/users/router.py
+++ b/app/users/router.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 from app.auth.service import get_current_user
 from app.database.session import get_db
 from app.users.models import User
-from app.users.schemas import UserProfileUpdate, UserRead
-from app.users.service import get_user_by_id, get_user_by_username, update_user_profile
+from app.users.schemas import UserProfileUpdate, UserRead, UserSearchRead
+from app.users.service import get_user_by_id, get_user_by_username, search_users_by_username, update_user_profile
 
 router = APIRouter(prefix="/users", tags=["users"])
 
@@ -15,6 +15,24 @@ async def read_me(current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user)) -> UserRead:
     return current_user
 
 
+@router.get("/search", response_model=list[UserSearchRead])
+async def search_users(
+    query: str,
+    limit: int = 20,
+    db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db),
+    current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user),
+) -> list[UserSearchRead]:
+    if len(query.strip().lstrip("@")) < 2:
+        return []
+    users = await search_users_by_username(
+        db,
+        query=query,
+        limit=limit,
+        exclude_user_id=current_user.id,
+    )
+    return users
+
+
 @router.get("/{user_id}", response_model=UserRead)
 async def read_user(user_id: int, db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db), _current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user)) -> UserRead:
     user = await get_user_by_id(db, user_id)
diff --git a/app/users/schemas.py b/app/users/schemas.py
index 7245b02..d64ddbb 100644
--- a/app/users/schemas.py
+++ b/app/users/schemas.py
@@ -25,3 +25,11 @@ class UserRead(UserBase):
 class UserProfileUpdate(BaseModel):
     username: str | None = Field(default=None, min_length=3, max_length=50)
     avatar_url: str | None = Field(default=None, max_length=512)
+
+
+class UserSearchRead(BaseModel):
+    model_config = ConfigDict(from_attributes=True)
+
+    id: int
+    username: str
+    avatar_url: str | None = None
diff --git a/app/users/service.py b/app/users/service.py
index 36857e5..5b77da3 100644
--- a/app/users/service.py
+++ b/app/users/service.py
@@ -16,6 +16,22 @@ async def get_user_by_username(db: AsyncSession, username: str) -> User | None:
     return await repository.get_user_by_username(db, username)
 
 
+async def search_users_by_username(
+    db: AsyncSession,
+    *,
+    query: str,
+    limit: int = 20,
+    exclude_user_id: int | None = None,
+) -> list[User]:
+    safe_limit = max(1, min(limit, 50))
+    return await repository.search_users_by_username(
+        db,
+        query=query,
+        limit=safe_limit,
+        exclude_user_id=exclude_user_id,
+    )
+
+
 async def update_user_profile(
     db: AsyncSession,
     user: User,
diff --git a/web/src/api/chats.ts b/web/src/api/chats.ts
index 38d163b..dd430c6 100644
--- a/web/src/api/chats.ts
+++ b/web/src/api/chats.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { http } from "./http";
-import type { Chat, Message, MessageType } from "../chat/types";
+import type { Chat, ChatType, Message, MessageType } from "../chat/types";
 
 export async function getChats(): Promise<Chat[]> {
   const { data } = await http.get<Chat[]>("/chats");
@@ -7,10 +7,14 @@ export async function getChats(): Promise<Chat[]> {
 }
 
 export async function createPrivateChat(memberId: number): Promise<Chat> {
+  return createChat("private", null, [memberId]);
+}
+
+export async function createChat(type: ChatType, title: string | null, memberIds: number[] = []): Promise<Chat> {
   const { data } = await http.post<Chat>("/chats", {
-    type: "private",
-    title: null,
-    member_ids: [memberId]
+    type,
+    title,
+    member_ids: memberIds
   });
   return data;
 }
diff --git a/web/src/api/users.ts b/web/src/api/users.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..279b776
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/api/users.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import { http } from "./http";
+import type { UserSearchItem } from "../chat/types";
+
+export async function searchUsers(query: string, limit = 20): Promise<UserSearchItem[]> {
+  const { data } = await http.get<UserSearchItem[]>("/users/search", {
+    params: { query, limit }
+  });
+  return data;
+}
diff --git a/web/src/chat/types.ts b/web/src/chat/types.ts
index 231a720..9095afd 100644
--- a/web/src/chat/types.ts
+++ b/web/src/chat/types.ts
@@ -33,3 +33,9 @@ export interface TokenPair {
   refresh_token: string;
   token_type: string;
 }
+
+export interface UserSearchItem {
+  id: number;
+  username: string;
+  avatar_url: string | null;
+}
diff --git a/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx b/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx
index af5d990..4cf2654 100644
--- a/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/ChatList.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useChatStore } from "../store/chatStore";
+import { NewChatPanel } from "./NewChatPanel";
 
 export function ChatList() {
   const chats = useChatStore((s) => s.chats);
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ export function ChatList() {
   return (
     <aside className="w-full max-w-xs border-r border-slate-700 bg-panel">
       <div className="border-b border-slate-700 p-3 text-sm font-semibold">Chats</div>
+      <NewChatPanel />
       <div className="max-h-[calc(100vh-56px)] overflow-auto">
         {chats.map((chat) => (
           <button
diff --git a/web/src/components/NewChatPanel.tsx b/web/src/components/NewChatPanel.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41059a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/components/NewChatPanel.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import { FormEvent, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import { createChat, createPrivateChat, getChats } from "../api/chats";
+import { searchUsers } from "../api/users";
+import type { ChatType, UserSearchItem } from "../chat/types";
+import { useChatStore } from "../store/chatStore";
+
+type CreateMode = "private" | "group" | "channel";
+
+export function NewChatPanel() {
+  const [mode, setMode] = useState<CreateMode>("private");
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+  const [title, setTitle] = useState("");
+  const [results, setResults] = useState<UserSearchItem[]>([]);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const setActiveChatId = useChatStore((s) => s.setActiveChatId);
+
+  const normalizedQuery = useMemo(() => query.trim(), [query]);
+
+  async function handleSearch(value: string) {
+    setQuery(value);
+    setError(null);
+    if (value.trim().replace("@", "").length < 2) {
+      setResults([]);
+      return;
+    }
+    try {
+      const users = await searchUsers(value);
+      setResults(users);
+    } catch {
+      setError("Search failed");
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function refreshChatsAndSelectLast() {
+    const chats = await getChats();
+    useChatStore.setState({ chats });
+    if (chats[0]) {
+      setActiveChatId(chats[0].id);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function createPrivate(userId: number) {
+    setLoading(true);
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      await createPrivateChat(userId);
+      await refreshChatsAndSelectLast();
+      setQuery("");
+      setResults([]);
+    } catch {
+      setError("Failed to create private chat");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function createByType(event: FormEvent) {
+    event.preventDefault();
+    if (mode === "private") {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (!title.trim()) {
+      setError("Title is required");
+      return;
+    }
+    setLoading(true);
+    setError(null);
+    try {
+      await createChat(mode as ChatType, title.trim(), []);
+      await refreshChatsAndSelectLast();
+      setTitle("");
+    } catch {
+      setError("Failed to create chat");
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className="border-b border-slate-700 p-3">
+      <div className="mb-2 flex gap-2 text-xs">
+        <button className={`rounded px-2 py-1 ${mode === "private" ? "bg-accent text-black" : "bg-slate-700"}`} onClick={() => setMode("private")}>
+          Private
+        </button>
+        <button className={`rounded px-2 py-1 ${mode === "group" ? "bg-accent text-black" : "bg-slate-700"}`} onClick={() => setMode("group")}>
+          Group
+        </button>
+        <button className={`rounded px-2 py-1 ${mode === "channel" ? "bg-accent text-black" : "bg-slate-700"}`} onClick={() => setMode("channel")}>
+          Channel
+        </button>
+      </div>
+
+      {mode === "private" ? (
+        <div className="space-y-2">
+          <input
+            className="w-full rounded bg-slate-800 px-2 py-1 text-sm"
+            placeholder="@username"
+            value={query}
+            onChange={(e) => void handleSearch(e.target.value)}
+          />
+          <div className="max-h-32 overflow-auto">
+            {results.map((user) => (
+              <button
+                className="mb-1 block w-full rounded bg-slate-800 px-2 py-1 text-left text-sm hover:bg-slate-700"
+                key={user.id}
+                onClick={() => void createPrivate(user.id)}
+              >
+                @{user.username}
+              </button>
+            ))}
+            {normalizedQuery && results.length === 0 ? <p className="text-xs text-slate-400">No users</p> : null}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      ) : (
+        <form className="space-y-2" onSubmit={(e) => void createByType(e)}>
+          <input
+            className="w-full rounded bg-slate-800 px-2 py-1 text-sm"
+            placeholder={mode === "group" ? "Group title" : "Channel title"}
+            value={title}
+            onChange={(e) => setTitle(e.target.value)}
+          />
+          <button className="w-full rounded bg-slate-700 px-2 py-1 text-sm hover:bg-slate-600" disabled={loading} type="submit">
+            Create {mode}
+          </button>
+        </form>
+      )}
+      {error ? <p className="mt-2 text-xs text-red-400">{error}</p> : null}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/web/src/pages/ChatsPage.tsx b/web/src/pages/ChatsPage.tsx
index 80bb1d5..f886525 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/ChatsPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/ChatsPage.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,13 @@ export function ChatsPage() {
         <div className="min-h-0 flex-1">
           <MessageList />
         </div>
-        <MessageComposer />
+        {activeChatId ? (
+          <MessageComposer />
+        ) : (
+          <div className="border-t border-slate-700 bg-panel p-4 text-center text-sm text-slate-400">
+            Выберите чат, чтобы начать переписку
+          </div>
+        )}
       </section>
     </main>
   );