SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, January 2. Rally on Azerbaijan's Lachin-Khankandi road [close to the post of Russian peacekeepers temporarily stationed there] near Shusha continues despite the frosty weather, trend reports from the scene.

The peaceful protesters have recently raised posters and chanted slogans against the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in the territory of Azerbaijan.

During the rally, safety rules are strictly observed, and no incidents were observed either at night or in the morning.

The representatives of Azerbaijani non-governmental organizations have been peacefully protesting for the twenty-second day against the inadmissibility of Azerbaijani specialists to the territory, to monitor the illegal exploitation of deposits in the area of stationing the peacekeepers.

Previously, following the talks 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 were going to begin preliminary monitoring of the illicit mineral resource exploitation, as well as emerging environmental implications on Azerbaijani lands, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed, on December 10, 2022.

The expert team was expected to inspect the environmental condition 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, when arriving in the monitoring area, the expert group, accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, 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.

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