diff --git a/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageCell.swift b/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageCell.swift
index ae5b43a..bb16c5b 100644
--- a/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageCell.swift
+++ b/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageCell.swift
@@ -1987,6 +1987,9 @@ final class NativeMessageCell: UICollectionViewCell {
 
     override func prepareForReuse() {
         super.prepareForReuse()
+        layer.removeAnimation(forKey: "insertionSlide")
+        layer.removeAnimation(forKey: "insertionMove")
+        contentView.layer.removeAnimation(forKey: "insertionAlpha")
         message = nil
         actions = nil
         currentLayout = nil
diff --git a/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageList.swift b/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageList.swift
index b56f063..9bdbbc6 100644
--- a/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageList.swift
+++ b/Rosetta/Features/Chats/ChatDetail/NativeMessageList.swift
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ final class NativeMessageListController: UIViewController {
     private var dataSource: UICollectionViewDiffableDataSource<Int, String>!
     private var nativeCellRegistration: UICollectionView.CellRegistration<NativeMessageCell, ChatMessage>!
 
+    // MARK: - Insertion Animation
+    private var hasCompletedInitialLoad = false
+
     // MARK: - Composer
 
     /// Pure UIKit composer (iOS < 26). nil on iOS 26+ (SwiftUI overlay).
@@ -567,6 +570,27 @@ final class NativeMessageListController: UIViewController {
     /// Called from SwiftUI when messages array changes.
     func update(messages: [ChatMessage], animated: Bool = false) {
         let oldIds = Set(self.messages.map(\.id))
+        let oldNewestId = self.messages.last?.id
+
+        // Detect new messages at the tail (sent/received in real-time).
+        // Skip animation for: initial load, pagination, batch sync (>3 messages).
+        let newIds = Set(messages.map(\.id)).subtracting(oldIds)
+        let isInteractive = hasCompletedInitialLoad
+            && !newIds.isEmpty
+            && newIds.count <= 3
+            && messages.last?.id != oldNewestId
+
+        // Capture visible cell positions BEFORE applying snapshot (for position animation)
+        var oldPositions: [String: CGFloat] = [:]
+        if isInteractive {
+            for ip in collectionView.indexPathsForVisibleItems {
+                if let cellId = dataSource.itemIdentifier(for: ip),
+                   let cell = collectionView.cellForItem(at: ip) {
+                    oldPositions[cellId] = cell.layer.position.y
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         self.messages = messages
 
         // Recalculate ALL layouts — BubblePosition depends on neighbors in the FULL
@@ -586,10 +610,76 @@ final class NativeMessageListController: UIViewController {
             snapshot.reconfigureItems(existingItems)
         }
 
-        dataSource.apply(snapshot, animatingDifferences: animated)
+        dataSource.apply(snapshot, animatingDifferences: false)
+
+        // Apply Telegram-style insertion animations after layout settles
+        if isInteractive {
+            collectionView.layoutIfNeeded()
+            applyInsertionAnimations(newIds: newIds, oldPositions: oldPositions)
+        }
+
+        if !hasCompletedInitialLoad && !messages.isEmpty {
+            hasCompletedInitialLoad = true
+        }
+
         updateScrollToBottomBadge()
     }
 
+    /// Telegram-style message insertion animation.
+    /// New messages: slide up from below (-height*1.6 offset) + alpha fade (0.2s).
+    /// Existing messages: spring position animation from old Y to new Y.
+    /// All position animations use CASpringAnimation (stiffness=443.7, damping=31.82).
+    /// Source: ChatMessageItemView.animateInsertion + ListView.insertNodeAtIndex.
+    private func applyInsertionAnimations(newIds: Set<String>, oldPositions: [String: CGFloat]) {
+        for ip in collectionView.indexPathsForVisibleItems {
+            guard let cellId = dataSource.itemIdentifier(for: ip),
+                  let cell = collectionView.cellForItem(at: ip) else { continue }
+
+            if newIds.contains(cellId) {
+                // NEW cell: slide up from below + alpha fade
+                // In inverted CV: negative offset = below on screen
+                let slideOffset = -cell.bounds.height * 1.6
+
+                let slide = CASpringAnimation(keyPath: "position.y")
+                slide.fromValue = slideOffset
+                slide.toValue = 0.0
+                slide.isAdditive = true
+                slide.stiffness = 443.7
+                slide.damping = 31.82
+                slide.mass = 1.0
+                slide.initialVelocity = 0
+                slide.duration = slide.settlingDuration
+                slide.fillMode = .backwards
+                cell.layer.add(slide, forKey: "insertionSlide")
+
+                // Alpha fade: 0 → 1 (0.2s)
+                let alpha = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "opacity")
+                alpha.fromValue = 0.0
+                alpha.toValue = 1.0
+                alpha.duration = 0.2
+                alpha.fillMode = .backwards
+                cell.contentView.layer.add(alpha, forKey: "insertionAlpha")
+
+            } else if let oldY = oldPositions[cellId] {
+                // EXISTING cell: spring from old position to new position
+                let delta = oldY - cell.layer.position.y
+                guard abs(delta) > 0.5 else { continue }
+
+                let move = CASpringAnimation(keyPath: "position.y")
+                move.fromValue = delta
+                move.toValue = 0.0
+                move.isAdditive = true
+                move.stiffness = 443.7
+                move.damping = 31.82
+                move.mass = 1.0
+                move.initialVelocity = 0
+                move.duration = move.settlingDuration
+                move.fillMode = .backwards
+                cell.layer.add(move, forKey: "insertionMove")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     // MARK: - Layout Calculation (Telegram asyncLayout pattern)
 
     /// Recalculate layouts for ALL messages using the full array.