Armenia’s vandalism in Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions affected not only the historical, cultural, and religious heritage of Islam but also the Christian religious shrines of Azerbaijan. In this regard, one of the historical and religious monuments that faced Armenian vandalism is the Russian Orthodox Church in the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan.

As a historical monument of architecture, the Church was built in the village of Kuropatkino in the Khojavand region in 1894. It should be highlighted that this historical building is the only architectural monument and church in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that belong to the Russian Orthodox Church and along with being a religious shrine represents the typical architectural style of Russian architectural monuments.

The Church was subjected to Armenian vandalism and destroyed as the result of the occupation of the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan by the Armenian Armed Forces in 1992.

As it is mentioned the fragments of this kind of historical and religious monuments that faced Armenian vandalism “should never be covered with restoration works, on the contrary, must be preserved as it is now”.

1. “Russian Orthodox Church in Karabakh becomes a victim of Armenian vandalism”, Report News Agency, 20 November 2020. https://report.az/en/karabakh/russian-orthodox-church-in-karabakh-becomes-a-victim-of-armenian-vandalism/.
2. Huseyin, Melaike, “Vandalism defined and signed but disapproved”, APA, 25 November 2020. https://apa.az/en/politics_of_azerbaijan/Vandalism-defined-and-signed-but-disapproved-colorredANALYTICScolor-336297.