Russian troops flying a white flag from their tank turret surrender to Ukraine

Astonishing moment Russian troops flying a white flag from their tank turret surrender to Ukraine

• Russian troops surrendering to Ukrainians in Kherson, in the south 
• BMP-2 vehicle drives out with a white flag tied to the turret
• Three Russians get out with hands up in what seems to be arranged surrender 
• Comes after Ukraine said 2,000 Russian soldiers have called surrender hotline 

This is the astonishing moment a squad of Russian soldiers flying a white flag from the turret of their tank surrendered in Ukraine. 

In Kherson, in the south of Ukraine, a Russian BMP-2 drives out from behind a set of trees and stops in front of Ukrainian troops before three crew get out with their hands raised.

The Ukrainians then move in, strip the soldiers of their weapons and take them as POWs in what appears to be a pre-arranged operation.

Ukraine's military intelligence branch said more than 2,000 Russian soldiers had called a hotline asking how to give themselves up rather than risk being killed on the battlefield.

the crew of a Russian BMP-2 fighting vehicle surrendering to Ukrainian forces in the south of the country

the Russians drive out from behind a set of trees with a white flag tied to their turret before getting out of the vehicle with their hands raised

Andriy Yusov, spokesman for military intelligence, said calls had come from troops inside Ukraine, those who had been recently conscripted in Russia, and some who had not yet been drafted but feared getting the order.

It also comes amid Ukrainian counter-attacks both in Kherson, in the south, and near Kharkiv, in the north, which have inflicted heavy casualties on Russia and returned swathes of territory to Kyiv's control. 

Ukrainian troops have been attacking in Kherson for more than two months but, until recently, had achieved only slow progress.

However, in the last few days the Russian frontline dramatically collapsed - allowing Kyiv's men to rush forward more than 10 miles in just a few hours.

President Zelensky has said 'dozens' of villages were liberated in the operation, which aims to re-take the city of Kherson itself.

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away to the north, Ukrainian troops have also liberated thousands of square miles of territory near the city of Kharkiv.

Almost the entire Kharkiv region has been returned to their control, and units are now pushing into neighbouring Donetsk and Luhansk province

Ukrainian soldiers move in to strip the Russians of their weapons and take them as POWs in what appears to be an operation that was organised ahead of time

Ukraine said more than 2,000 Russian troops have called a hotline where they can arrange to give themselves up to Kyiv's forces

Kherson, where Ukrainian forces have made rapid advances in recent days after months of hard fighting

The city of Lyman, a key transport node, fell at the weekend and troops have been mopping up in small villages along the nearby Oskil River in recent days.

A senior US officer told The Telegraph that Russia's faltering war effort could mean 'the recapture of Crimea by Ukraine is now a distinct possibility and can no longer be discounted'.

The official added: 'It is clear that Russia no longer has the ability or willpower to defend key positions, and if the Ukrainians succeed in recapturing Kherson, then there is a very real possibility that it will ultimately be able to recapture Crimea.'

Russia is suffering heavy losses trying to hold territory it has gained in seven months of war, as Ukraine re-takes territory in the north and south (pictured, a destroyed tank in the north)

The remains of a Russian column that attempted to escape from the city of Lyman despite being surrounded by Ukrainian troops, and was destroyed