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Sabina Mammadli

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For 68 days back-to-back, the Azerbaijani eco-activists and representatives of NGOs have been picketing the Lachin-Khankandi road against the illicit exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources, Azernews reports.

Against the backdrop of Armenia’s claims about the “humanitarian crisis” or the road “blockade”, vehicles constantly pass through unhindered. This way, a total of 4 passenger cars and 42 trucks of Russian peacekeepers have driven along the Lachin-Khankendi road without any issues.

The picketers are chanting "Azerbaijan is awake and sustains its wealth!", "Our wealth is indivisible!", "End environmental crimes!", "Stop environmental terrorism!", and other slogans.

Following discussions with the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent on December 3 and 7, 2022, Azerbaijani specialists from the Ministries of Economy, Ecology, and Natural Resources, the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold Company were to conduct primary monitoring on illegal exploitation of mineral deposits on Azerbaijani territory. However, the monitoring failed due to the provocation of ethnic Armenians.

After the Russian peacekeepers' failure to provide the necessary conditions for the Azerbaijani agency representatives to carry out their duties in the area, a group of eco-activists, NGOs, and public representatives have taken to the street in protest at the peacekeepers' repugnance to live up to their obligations in line with the November 10, 2020, peace deal to maintain peace and order in the region, and oust the Armenian troops from the region and prevent illegalities. However, time proved that the Russian peacekeepers are driven by the interests of Russia rather than the idea coming from the essence of the notion of peacekeeping as universally understood.

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

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