About 50,000 local residents remain in Sievierodonetsk district of Luhansk region

"The level of destruction exceeds 50% in the entire [including temporarily occupied] Sievierodonetsk district. In particular, Popasna, Rubizhne, Hirske community, Sievierodonetsk suffered. Kreminna and Lysychansk were less affected," Roman Vlasenko, Head of the Sievierodonetsk District Military Administration, told the Ukrainian Radio in an interview.

According to approximate estimates, about 50,000 local residents remain in Sievierodonetsk district, and the same number moved from Russia, Vlasenko noted, recalling that 450,000 people lived here before hostilities.

Vlasenko said that some territories remained without communication because the occupying power was afraid of the spread of information, so everything was wiretapped and checked.

Regarding the so-called "authority" in the temporarily occupied territory of Sievierodonetsk district, many Russians came there, Vlasenko stated and added: "If we are talking about local self-government, there are more locals here. In Sievierodonetsk district, those collaborators and occupiers, who left for Russia or the occupied territories of Luhansk in 2014, now appear as heads or deputy heads, council members."

The official also noted that Russians began brainwashing local residents from the first days of the occupation. "Many children are taken to the Russian Federation as if for recreation, but in fact for propaganda purposes. Russian teachers are hired. Or our teachers are sent to the Russian Federation," he stated.

According to Vlasenko, there is information that police activities will be conducted in schools so that teachers keep an eye on children to monitor what they do in their free time. Control in educational institutions is strengthened. The same thing happens in cultural institutions where "Russian world" and "Russian culture" are promoted, he emphasized.

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