Residents of a Yakut village were accused of having connections with “foreign agents” and “extremists” because of an open letter to Putin

Residents of Tyanya wrote the open letter because the gold mining company NordGold planned to expand mines on their territory, saying that they are cutting down forests, because of gold mining, fish are dying and the habitat of deer is shrinking.

The company responded by accusing locals being connected with “foreign agents” and “extremist resources”, calling the claims “unfounded” as the company "helps locals", and all decisions pass public hearings. The Tians deny it.

“All 164 of us residents signed the letter, because there is no other way out, we are being driven out of our native territories, the company is opening new mines, killing the environment. Our ancestral places are being “squeezed out”, this contributes to the disappearance of the traditional way of life, and is a direct path to the extinction of the people,” said one of the activists.

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