Azerbaijan destroys 25 monuments honoring Great Patriotic War heroes in Stepanakert

Azerbaijan destroyed 25 monuments and busts dedicated to prominent figures and heroes of the Great Patriotic War in Stepanakert, the capital of occupied Artsakh, the Artsakh Agency for Culture and Tourism Development reported on Facebook.

“As of July 15, all 25 monuments and busts erected in memory of prominent figures who for decades shaped the cultural image of the city have disappeared from the capital of Artsakh,” the report reads.

The Agency noted that these findings were confirmed through analysis of Google Earth satellite imagery and posts on Azerbaijani social media platforms. Among the removed monuments were those honoring Marshal Hovhannes Baghramyan, Admiral Ivan Isakov, pilot Nelson Stepanyan, and cultural icons such as musician Henrikh Barkhudaryan, poet and writer Hovhannes Tumanyan, and painter Ivan Ayvazovsky.

In addition, monuments to Stepan Shahumyan, Alexander Myasnikyan, military figures of Artsakh, in particular Christopher Ivanyan and Anatoly Zinevich were also removed. The fate of these sculptures, some of which were created by Russian artists, remains unknown. However, the Agency suspects they were completely destroyed.