In December 2022, a group of Azerbaijani environmentalists representing non-governmental organizations began a protest on the Lachin-Shusha road. They were expressing their opposition to the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the territories of Azerbaijan where the Russian peacekeeping contingent had been temporarily deployed.
The environmental activists voiced slogans demanding an end to the plundering of Azerbaijan’s natural resources. The protesters declared that they would continue their action until they were granted access to the Gizilbulag gold deposit and the Demirli copper-molybdenum deposit.
In connection with the matter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan sent a note of protest to the Russian side. The note called for ensuring the unhindered access of Azerbaijani representatives to the mentioned mining sites and emphasized that any obstruction or imposition of conditions on such a visit would be unacceptable.
The peaceful protest, which began on December 12, 2022, was organized by representatives of non-governmental organizations, eco-activists, and young volunteers to oppose the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the areas of Azerbaijan temporarily under the control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. This protest lasted until April 28, 2023 — a total of 138 days.