The removal of the statue in Karabakh is a blow to cultural cooperation between the two nations, according to a Russian presidential envoy
The dismantling of a monument to renowned Russian artist Ivan Aivazovsky in Karabakh, Azerbaijan, was a “demonstrative unfriendly act” toward Russia, a senior official in Moscow, Mikhail Shvydkoy, has said.
The monument in the town of Khankendi, known as Stepanakert in Armenia, was demolished on July 29 – on what would have been the artist’s birthday – according to the Agency for the Development of Tourism and Culture of Karabakh.
Mikhail Shvydkoy, the Russian president’s special representative for international cultural cooperation, expressed deep regret over Azerbaijan’s decision, calling it a violation of cultural respect.
“Such actions by the Azerbaijani side cause regret and deep rejection,” he said in a statement on Thursday. “Instead of removing the monument without warning, Baku could have informed Moscow. I’m confident the issue could have been resolved in a civilized manner, such as relocating it to Russian soil.”
According to the official, the move contradicts not only “the spirit of alliance, partnership, and good‑neighborliness between our countries and peoples” but also “common sense.”
Aivazovsky was a Russian artist of Armenian origin, born in Feodosia, Crimea, in 1817. He became famous for painting dramatic seascapes and ocean scenes. His mastery of light, water, and atmosphere earned him acclaim as one of the greatest marine painters of the 19th century.
The statue, created by Russian sculptor Sergey Shcherbakov, was erected in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2021. Baku claimed that the installation of the bust “by Russian peacekeepers on our territory without the consent of the Azerbaijani side was illegal.”
“The dismantling of such so-called monuments, erected during the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, is logical, fair, and in accordance with the law,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Russian peacekeepers were deployed to Karabakh in 2020, after Azerbaijan reclaimed parts of the area in a brief war with local Armenian militia. In September 2023, Azerbaijan fully recaptured the breakaway region.
Tensions between Moscow and Baku have been rising following the deaths of two Azerbaijani nationals suspected of being gang members during a police raid in June. In response, Azerbaijani police raided the local office of the Russian news network Sputnik, detaining two journalists along with several other Russian nationals. Baku also suspended multiple Russia-related cultural events.
