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Sabina Mammadli

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For 33 days in a row, the peaceful protest of the Azerbaijani eco-activists on the Lachin-Khankandi road against the illegal mining of natural resources in areas under the temporary control of the Russian peacekeepers has been going on despite the freezing cold in the area, Azernews reports.

Vehicles constantly pass through the road unhindered in defiance of the ongoing claims of Armenians and their patrons on a "blockade" of the major road by Azerbaijanis.

As has been the case for 33 days, the road remains open for the unhindered passage, and by the time this report was written, a convoy of 10 trucks and military equipment, as well as four trucks and two passenger cars of the Russian peacekeepers passed along the road from Khankendi toward Lachin.

Representatives of foreign media outlets, who recently arrived in the area, witnessed the unhindered passage of another car belonging to Russian peacekeepers on the road.

The failure of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to prevent the illicit exploitation of natural resources in Karabakh has resulted in the ongoing protest on the major road that passes by Shusha. As a result of the December 3 and 7, 2022, talks with the Russian peacekeeping command, a delegation comprising specialists from the Ministries of Economy, Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Property Service under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold Company was to conduct a preliminary monitoring of the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in Karabakh, where peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, as well as related environmental and other problems.

However, due to the inaction of the peacekeepers, the monitoring did not take place and resulted in the continuous protest of the Azerbaijani eco-activists, thus paving the way for the birth of a new movement.

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Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SabinaMmdl

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