They brought in heavy machinery and started drilling the land: preparations are underway to destroy Lago-Naki.

Our Allies, who are currently defending the Lago-Naki Plateau, report that drilling has already begun and heavy construction machinery is on the move. All of this is happening right across pristine alpine meadows, destroying Red-Listed plants and the habitats of wild animals!

On 9 April activists filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Adygea, which simply referred them to the Maykop District prosecutor—nothing more. No response followed. The defenders of Lago-Naki therefore challenged this inaction on 22 May; one week later, on 30 May, they finally received a letter that appears to have been signed retroactively (dated 13 May).

In essence, the Prosecutor’s Office argues that if the site was allocated for tourism, then none of the ongoing works violate the law.

I would like to quote our Allies:

“The Prosecutor’s Office believes that because this parcel was set aside for tourism, the works are not illegal, while it completely ignores the Regulations of the Nature Reserve. Those Regulations impose a direct ban on: subsoil use (drilling, geological exploration), disturbance of bedrock, off-road vehicle movement, and any harm to protected plants, animals, and their habitats. Consequently, the requirements of the Federal Laws on Protected Areas, Environmental Protection, and Wildlife are violated. Is corruption involved here?”

“The Prosecutor’s Office refers to a forest-development plan and to an ‘expert review’ stating that there are no Red-Listed species. Yet long-term research by reserve scientists has documented 145 such species on the site, as reflected in a letter from 217 scientists to President Putin and in an article of the RGS Proceedings. Moreover, on 10 July 2024 the Republican Prosecutor’s Office, together with reserve scientists and Maikop State Technological University, carried out a field inspection and recorded 17 Red-Listed plant species along just six kilometres of the route—precisely where drilling is now taking place.”

Do you see how ruthlessly Russia’s reserve system is being torn apart? Earlier today I published material showing how our formal complaint to Glavgosexpertiza was flatly refused—contrary to common sense and the very laws officials claim to uphold.

And now our Allies in Adygea face the same situation as they fight for Lago-Naki’s right to live. These people wage an unrelenting struggle for wildlife and our shared future, unafraid to tell the truth and demand change.

But when the entire system of governance suppresses public demand, how realistic is it to win protection for the last refuges of wilderness? Where are the millions of voices rising as one to defend Life?

I have carefully studied the Regulations on the Caucasian State Nature Biosphere Reserve (approved by Order No. 981 of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, 21 Dec 2021; registered with the Ministry of Justice, 30 Dec 2021) cited by our Allies.

Section III, “Special Protection Regime,” states explicitly:

“Any works involving subsoil use (drilling, geological exploration), as well as disturbance of bedrock, soil cover, and geological outcrops, are prohibited.”

“Movement and parking of mechanised vehicles off public roads are not allowed.”

“Any activities causing harm to rare and endangered species of plants and animals and to their habitats are prohibited.”

Since Lago-Naki lies within the core of the Reserve (biosphere polygon) and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Western Caucasus,” these bans apply in full.

Several federal norms are violated simultaneously: Federal Law No. 33-FZ “On Specially Protected Natural Areas”; Federal Law No. 7-FZ “On Environmental Protection”; and Federal Law No. 52-FZ “On Wildlife.”

If I were the Minister of Natural Resources, I would immediately mobilise the entire administrative apparatus to punish those responsible and prevent further damage to the reserve. Instead, we see complete permissiveness from every agency—no one steps up to defend this sanctuary.

We, ordinary people, clearly see that the works on the Lago-Naki Plateau are illegal because they directly contradict the federal Regulations of the reserve, Law No. 33-FZ, and other acts. The presence of rare species and the start of drilling are documented! Our Allies have even exposed the shell companies facilitating the destruction—clear signs of at least corruption.

And how should we regard the conduct of Glavgosexpertiza, which approved the destruction of the reserve while ignoring every critical fact?

It is absolutely justified—right now—to demand an immediate halt to all work on the plateau, a new state environmental review, and the initiation of administrative and criminal proceedings.

I have also studied the document our Allies received from the Prosecutor’s Office. Let me quote a few excerpts.

“Parcel 01:04:590003:168 lies within the Lago-Naki Biosphere Polygon; the development of educational tourism is permissible and does not violate the law.”

Educational tourism—does that mean driving heavy machinery into a biosphere reserve, destroying Red-Listed species, and ruining animal habitats? Am I correct that, in the view of the Prosecutor’s Office, this is “educational tourism”?

“Only engineering surveys are being carried out on the site.”

Even “surveys” require a subsoil-use licence and a federal environmental impact statement. Drilling bore-holes tens of metres deep is already actual subsoil use, not mere “surveys.”

“A positive State Environmental Review conclusion has been obtained.”

Is that the very review that ignored all critical facts about the reserve and silently gave its approval?

“The Forest Development Plan (FDP) is approved, and the forest declaration has been accepted.”

I fail to see whom we are talking to. An FDP regulates forestry operations, not construction. Forestry use in a reserve is prohibited by Article 9 of Law No. 33-FZ, so citing the FDP is entirely irrelevant.

“Dendro-report: no Red-Listed plants present.”

What about the joint inspection report of 10 July 2024 (Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic + reserve scientists + MSTU) and the long-term publications of the reserve documenting 145 species? What about the 2023 letter from 217 scientists to the President stating the site harbours a great many Red-Listed species?

“The machinery holds a legal 49-year lease on the plot.”

The land is still classified as “specially protected territories,” and the law restricts transactions that contradict the purposes of protected areas. Given the sub-leases through shell companies with a charter capital of 10,000 rubles, this smacks of blatant bad faith.

That is the document from the regional Prosecutor’s Office. I publish the entire text below. 

File Response from the Prosecutor’s Office 2,1 МБ

The response deadline was violated: the appeal was filed on 9 April, the reply is dated 13 May but was received on 30 May—a total of 51 days, whereas Law No. 59-FZ allows only 30 days. Even back-dating it to 13 May still misses the deadline. And at the bottom of the letter there is only a certificate number, although the Law on Electronic Signature (No. 63-FZ, Art. 6) requires identification of the official and proof of authority. Perhaps the Allies received a separate file with that identification—fine.

Then there is the matter of referencing attachments: if the prosecutor cites a “Forest Development Plan,” a “State Environmental Review,” and especially a “dendro-report,” where are all the registration numbers and dates? Russian standard GOST R 7.0.97-2016 governs official correspondence. All documents cited must be referenced by number in the response.

I recommend our Allies request and demand the following:

1. Copies of all documents the Prosecutor’s Office relies on—from the positive Glavgosexpertiza conclusion to the FDP and the dendro-report. Article 21 of Law No. 59-FZ grants us this right.

   
   

2. An independent botanical survey of the site in accordance with Government Resolution No. 997/2020 (“Methodology for Assessing Harm to Rare Species”).

   
   

3. Verification of the legality of the subsoil-use licence and the presence of a permit from Rosprirodnadzor.

   
   

4. Suspension of all works pending the outcome of the inspection (relying on Article 27, Part 3 of Law 33-FZ and Administrative Code 8.39, “Prohibition of activities contrary to the regime of protected areas”).

   
   
5. Demand that a criminal case be initiated under Article 262 of the Criminal Code for damage to the natural complexes of the reserve, supported by photo and video evidence.

Let’s sum up.

We will help with all our might! Publicity is the main way to influence the problem. You can see for yourselves, Allies, what is happening: total disregard for all laws, and—backed by huge influence inside the authorities and endless financial resources—they are shamelessly tearing apart a wildlife refuge.

Support and share. There are so few of us! Only a handful are doing anything. Yet we are talking about the most sacred thing—Life itself. Our life and the lives of our children.

Send this to everyone and write: #SAVELAGONAKI

© Pavel Pashkov