The figure represents a sharp increase as it accounts for twice as much as previous monthly figures, Vitaly Matvienko, the spokesman of the program set up to help Russian troops surrender, reported.
Ukraine's military intelligence claimed the increase could be linked to a potential Ukrainian counteroffensive that could take place in several areas in spring, according to Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.
"The Ukrainian counteroffensive operation on the ground has not yet begun, but its effect is already producing results," the report read.
Launched in September 2022 by Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, the 24-hour "I Want to Live" hotline helps Russians to surrender themselves or their units to the Ukrainian army willingly.
Russians are promised that after the surrender, they will be held in compliance with the Geneva Conventions.
Nearly 10,000 Russians have contacted the Ukrainian hotline set up for the Russian soldiers looking to surrender themselves to Ukrainian forces as of March, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.
Over 1.2 million calls have been made to Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” hotline as of mid-December, according to the Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate’s representative Andriy Yusov.
In addition to the hotline, there is also a chatbot and a website in Russian run by Ukraine's Defense Ministry with information about the program.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
