Will the people making the calls be able to see the actual Russian phone numbers?
Each volunteer will see one Russian number when they hit the website’s CALL button. That unique number will then disappear from the database. If the number has not responded, a caller can mark it as “not responded” and the number will remain in the database.
Will the phone numbers of the volunteers then be visible to the Russians or are they masked?
Each volunteer is choosing to make calls from their personal phone. If the recipient of the call has caller ID, the caller’s number will be visible, as in any phone call. The volunteer will see the recipient’s phone number but no other information.
How was the database of phone numbers compiled?
Phone numbers are public in Russia. #CallRussia has used internet data to compile our database of 40 million publicly-available phone numbers.
Who is behind the initiative and what is their legal status?
#CallRussia was born within the Lithuanian media, communications, creative and tech community. It is backed by the local NGO Stronger Together which acts as a Lithuanian national volunteer support coordination center.
Who is funding the initiative?
#CallRussia is made possible entirely by pro bono contributions from supporters in the media, public relations, creative, and tech communities. Private and business donations made via Stronger Together are used to fund digital social media ads to alert Russian speakers around the world to the opportunity to volunteer.
What is the precise purpose of this initiative?
#CallRussia has one simple purpose - to connect Russian-speaking volunteers directly with Russians for peaceful conversations that provide verifiable facts about the Vladimir Putin’s brutal and illegal assault on Ukraine.
#CallRussia enables ordinary Russians to know the truth about the war and stand up to end it.
Who briefs the volunteers?
The #CallRussia platform provides simple, easy-to-use guidelines for volunteers. The guidelines have been developed in consultation with trained psychologists, as well as with experts in communication.
What reactions are you getting from the call recipients (Russians citizens)?
These conversations are incredibly difficult, considering the massive propaganda and authoritarian information blackouts Russians are subjected to, but direct conversations are the only way to spread the truth and end this war.
Volunteer callers can record feedback on the recipients’ openness via the website.
What is the price of the call?
The price depends on your mobile operator’s pricings for calls to Russia. However, you can call for free if you choose to call through Whatsapp application, which is integrated in the platform.
