Azerbaijani environmentalists and activists send appeal to peacekeepers' commander

Azerbaijani environmentalists and activists sent an appeal to Andrey Volkov, commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent temporarily stationed in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan.

Report informs that the appeal submitted to the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan expresses the serious concern about the aggravation of the environmental situation in the territories of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed.

“During the 30-year occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan by Armenia, ecological terror was committed against our country in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions, many mineral deposits were illegally exploited. Despite the fact that in 2020, after the liberation of the territories of Azerbaijan from the occupation of Armenia, the illegal exploitation and environmental situation in many looted deposits were taken under control, unfortunately, the illegal exploitation of the Gyzylbulag gold deposit and the Damirli copper-molybdenum deposit continues on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is temporarily stationed. Illegal exploitation of mineral deposits, exacerbating the ecological situation, has a negative impact on the civilian population, the environment, biodiversity, underground and surface water resources, as well as on the ecological environment in other territories of Azerbaijan," the letter reads.

"We consider it important to assess the illegal exploitation and environmental situation at the Gyzylbulag gold deposit and the Demirli copper-molybdenum deposit located on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is temporarily deployed. In this regard, we ask you to ensure security for visiting these territories and create the necessary conditions for monitoring," the appeal reads.