Moscow Expands City Borders

Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin

The city of Moscow is formally adding new territory.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said at a news conference that it will help the mega-city, which has population of 20 million people, develop “harmonically.”

According to the mayor, starting from July 1, "the number of Muscovites has increased by 230,000.”

This is 2 percent of the current population of the capital or a 1.5-year natural population increase.

Sobyanin said that the territory of Moscow has increased by 150,000 hectares.

Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS and "The Moscow Times"