Register as Russian or lose your business, Ukrainian industries in occupied eastern areas told

Russia is asking Ukrainian businesses to register as Russian in the Luhansk Oblast, a businessman from the eastern region has claimed.

Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, the owner of eastern Ukraine's biggest quinoa producer said business owners like him are being asked to register their businesses as Russian or lose them.

Yaroslav Mykhailov said: "Mostly our company specialised in growing and processing quinoa and sunflower seeds. We were one of the biggest producers of these products in eastern Ukraine.

"My business is closed. At the same time Russian authorities demand us to change the registration for a Russian one. If we don't change the registration they will possess our business."

Mr Mykhailov, originally from Svatove in the Luhansk region, but now living as a displaced person in the Cherkassy region, fled his home and business after missile strikes on his hometown.

"Unfortunately now I am a refugee because of a war that Russia started. The majority of residents of our town left the town. 60% to 70% of people left.

"There were strikes with cruise missiles on military objects in our town," he said.

"All the members of my family are alive but some of my friends, unfortunately, died. Every day hundreds of Ukrainians die," he added