Russia plans to bring over a million new residents to the Donetsk region by 2045—this is outlined in the master plans for the occupied cities.
According to Ukrinform, Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of the Occupation, reported this on Telegram, citing Mariupol Resistance.
It is noted that Russia has announced the approval of “master plans for the development of cities” in the occupied Donetsk region: Donetsk, Makiivka, Horlivka, Snizhne, Yenakiieve, and the Starobesheve municipal district.
“In the forecast scenario through 2045, the population in these municipalities is expected to reach approximately 2.26 million people. The forecast of 2.26 million people by 2045 appears to be a political rather than a demographic indicator,” Andriushchenko wrote.
He noted that according to pre-war estimates, by 2014 the population of Donetsk was approximately 900,000, in Makiivka—approximately 340,000, in Horlivka—around 250,000, in Yenakiieve—about 80,000, in Snizhne—about 45,000, and in the Starobesheve district, there were approximately 50,000–60,000 people.
“Together, this amounted to about 1.7 million people by 2014. The actual population is now estimated at approximately 900,000–1.1 million people. In other words, the Russian plan calls for nearly doubling the population. This is possible only through either the mass resettlement of Russians or the administrative registration of the population,” the Center’s director stated.
He added that this fits very well “into the colonization model that the Russian Federation is already applying in Mariupol.”
As reported by Ukrinform, in Mariupol, the occupiers are building mortgage-financed homes for Russians on the sites of demolished high-rise buildings. In this way, the enemy is attempting to quickly populate the city with Russians.
