Russian peacekeepers setting modular barracks on area of protest near Azerbaijani Shusha

SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, December 13. Russian peacekeepers [temporarily stationed in Azerbaijan in accordance with trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders after the second Karabakh war] blocking the way for the Azerbaijani protesters are setting modular barracks on the territory of the ongoing protests near Shusha, Trend reports from the scene. The protests of representatives of Azerbaijani non-governmental organizations (NGOs) close to the post of the Russian peacekeeping contingent have been going on for the second straight day. The action is being held against the inadmissibility of Azerbaijani specialists to the territory, to monitor the illegal exploitation of deposits in the area. 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 and prevented for the entire process to carry on.