Supply vehicles of Russian peacekeepers pass freely along Azerbaijan's Lachin road

By Trend

Supply vehicles of Russian peacekeepers [temporarily stationed in Azerbaijan in accordance with a trilateral statement signed between Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war] have recently passed freely along the Lachin road, Trend reports from the scene in Shusha.

Previously, the Armenian media spread fake news that the Azerbaijanis allegedly blocked the Lachin road and didn’t let the supply vehicles through.

The protests of Azerbaijani non-governmental organizations (NGOs) against the inadmissibility of Azerbaijani specialists to the territory, to monitor the illegal exploitation of deposits in the area, have been held near Shusha, close to the post of peacekeepers for the third straight day.

Previously, following the negotiations with the Russian peacekeepers' command on December 3 and 7, 2022, a group of experts from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Property Service under the Ministry of Economy, and AzerGold CJSC on December 10, was going to begin the preliminary monitoring in accordance with the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits, as well as the emerging environmental and other consequences of this on the territory of Azerbaijan.

It was planned to inspect the environmental conditions at the 'Gizilbulagh' gold deposit and the 'Damirli' copper-molybdenum deposit, monitor various areas, organize cadastral property records, assess potential risks and threats to the environment, as well as to underground and surface water sources.

However, despite the group's arrival, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, in the monitoring area, it faced provocations. The planned initial inspection and monitoring did not take place due to the fact that the Russian peacekeepers not only did not create necessary conditions, but also prevented for the entire process to carry on.