 The Ukrainian Army did not manage to capture the city.Between the end of July and 5 September 2014 there was heavy fire by the Ukrainian army against the residential areas, since the Lugansk People's Republic separatists deliberately stationed their military units in residential areas.In early January 2015 the civilian population was estimated at between 10,000-20,000, and Russian human rights campaigner and the chairman of the Memorial Oleg Orlov reported on the destruction evident in the town and on the acute food shortage.