Ukrainian "surrender hotline" busy with calls from thousands of Russians, says Ukraine

Thousands of Russian soldiers have called a Ukrainian hotline set up to help those who wish to surrender, Ukrainian officials have claimed.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraine's military intelligence, said some 2,000 people had called the "I Want To Live" hotline in recent weeks, Sky News reports.

He told Ukraine's Ukrainska Pravda newspaper: "The hotline has received a lot of calls from Russians who were called up recently, and even from some who haven't even been called up yet. 

"They're calling and asking, 'What should I do if I get called up? What do I have to do, what's the right way to surrender?'".

Ms Yusov also said the number of calls to the hotline had increased since the Kharkiv offensive and has continued to grow ever since.

Speaking to Ukraine's Freedom TV, Mr Yusov added: "Back then, we started to receive calls not just from soldiers who are on the territory of Ukraine as a part of the invading forces.

"Also those who either just got mobilised and are still on the territory of Russia, or their relatives, or even people who suspect that they can be mobilised, and are clarifying this information.

"In a few weeks, we have already received more than 2,000 such requests."

Sky News was unable to verify these claims.