There are about 8,000 locals in Severodonetsk, but number of strangers has increased - official

The head of the Military and Civilian administration of Severodonetsk, Oleksandr Stryuk, told Espreso.

"The population in the city remains constant - about 8,000. People come and go. The total number of people is unchanged, and it is the locals. I do not take into account the people who came there with the occupation administration, the Russian military and brigades. There are more strangers in the city itself, the military appear, and they are settled in apartments that are opened without owners. We can talk about some accumulation of forces, but the city tries not to show it," he said.

• The head of the military administration of Severodonetsk district, Roman Vlasenko, said that the enemy had deployed additional paratroopers and special forces units to the region.