NEW RELEASE: Report #9 on the current state of 500+ cultural heritage sites in former Nagorno-Karabakh. See findings from satellite monitoring missions in fall 2025 and spring/summer 2026. Takeaways: 4 cases of destruction; 4 damage; 5 newly threatened. 1/4 tinyurl.com/bderkehr

BREAKING: CHW has documented the destruction of Shusha's Old Armenian-Russian Cemetery from May 9-14, 2026. Full investigation: tinyurl.com/z5bmpaek The cemetery contained medieval Armenian khachkars and 19th century Armenian and Russian tombstones spanning 1810-1871. 🧵 1/5

Satellite imagery shows a new threat to the integrity of the 19th century Ghazanchetsots Armenian Cathedral in Shusha. Between April 25 and July 23, 2026, buildings arose on the grounds of the cathedral, encroaching on a sacred landscape. 1/3

Our book is out! Based on CHW’s research on the Nagorno-Karabakh wars, HERITAGE FORENSICS offers a new framework for investigating cultural heritage caught up in war, ethnic cleansing and secrecy. Download free Ebook or order (30% discount code 09BCARD). www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...

THREAT ALERT: The Holy Mother of God church in the village of Boyuk Galadarasi/Mets Shen (Shusha region) is under heightened threat. Using Planet imagery, CHW has documented earthmoving activity immediately to the east and north of the historic structure between Oct. 31, 2025 and May 14, 2026. (1/4)

Coming soon from @cornellupress.bsky.social! www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501...

NEWS: The Armenian Genocide memorial in Stepanakert/Khankendi was destroyed btw 7/14/25 and 4/25/26 (+ a nearby memorial complex). Built on the 100th anniversary of the 1915 atrocities, the bell tower housed relics (human remains) from Der Zor—the Syrian town where hundreds of thousands perished./5

Using Sentinel imagery, CHW confirms reports of the destruction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, consecrated by the Armenian Apostolic Church in 2019 in Khankendi/Stepanakert. Destruction took place btw. March 3 and April 2. Higher resolution imagery (forthcoming) will provide a clearer picture.

CHW's new method in heritage forensics helps pinpoint when sites are damaged or destroyed. Using two tiers of Planet satellite imagery, we narrowed the timing of an Armenian church's destruction in Azerbaijan from months to weeks. See how it works: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b497...

St. John the Baptist Church in Shusha

Advances in heritage forensics pinpoint when Azerbaijan moved from denying to destroying an Armenian church

storymaps.arcgis.com

As we prepare for Spring satellite monitoring over Karabakh, we've updated our Dashboard to enable searches of documented destruction, damage and threats to cultural heritage since 2021. New findings will be shared as they emerge. Explore the dashboard: caucasusheritage.cornell.edu?page_id=1819

DAMAGE ALERT: Possible illicit excavations in Khojavend, Azerbaijan may have damaged an 11th century Armenian church. CHW used multiple satellite constellations to analyze the situation. Read our latest StoryMap: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b76c...

The "Red Cross" Church of Bina/Tumi

Possible illicit excavations in Khojavend, Azerbaijan may have damaged an Armenian church

storymaps.arcgis.com

The 17th century Holy Savior Monastery located near Təpəkənd/Tonashen in Azerbaijan’s Aghdara District has been damaged. Between October 2024 and August 2025 most of the metal roofing that had been added as part of a 2009 restoration (in then Nagorno-Karabakh) was removed. 1/4

At CHW, we don’t speak often—but when we do, it’s because we have verified findings to share. Even in silence, we’re working behind the scenes. Help us reach 50% of our goal by Monday—give today: crowdfunding.cornell.edu/project/48028

Caucasus Heritage Watch

Help Cornell University raise $10,000 for the project: Caucasus Heritage Watch. Your gift will make a difference!

crowdfunding.cornell.edu

A $5 TRUE STORY Each month for 2+ years, a $5 bill arrives in CHW's mail—folded neatly in an envelope from one mysterious donor. It’s a small, steady reminder that every gift matters. Will you give $5 today so we can continue reporting on heritage at risk? crowdfunding.cornell.edu/project/48028

Meet the CHW leads: archaeologists Smith, Lindsay, & Khatchadourian and political geographer Ghulyan. Since 2020 we've drawn on decades of regional expertise to respond to war’s impact on cultural heritage. Help us reach 25% of our crowdfunding goal today! crowdfunding.cornell.edu/project/48028

Our crowdfunding campaign is live! Since 2021, CHW has provided independent satellite-based evidence on cultural heritage affected by the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict. Please contribute today to sustain this vital work. ➡️ crowdfunding.cornell.edu/project/48028

Caucasus Heritage Watch

Help Cornell University raise $10,000 for the project: Caucasus Heritage Watch. Your gift will make a difference!

crowdfunding.cornell.edu

Monitoring Report #8 on 500+ cultural heritage sites in former Nagorno-Karabakh out today. See findings from satellite monitoring missions in fall 2024 and spring 2025. Key takeaways: no new destruction; damage to 2 cemeteries and 1 church; spike in # of threatened sites. 1/4 tinyurl.com/hm6daw9x

We're looking forward to joining @bellingcat.com for this conversation on Thursday at 10am EST.

Bellingcat@bellingcat.com · 2y ago

Join us Thursday at 10am EST/4pm CET as we speak to the @cornelluniversity.bsky.social team behind @caucasushw.bsky.social . With @godin.bsky.social we'll be unpacking how you might use open source tools to monitor and assess damage to cultural heritage during conflict. discord.gg/nCrVdaUA?eve...

Satellite imagery shows that between Oct. 5, 2023, and April 30, 2024, the 19th century Tandzatap church in Garababa, Zangilan sustained major damage. Most of the roof has collapsed, as has the southern wall which featured an embedded stone engraved with a cross. 1/6

Monitoring Report #7 on cultural heritage in former Nagorno-Karabakh out today. Our latest monitoring cycle has revealed the greatest number of impacted Armenian cultural sites since we began monitoring in 2021. Newly destroyed=6, newly threatened=7.1/4 tinyurl.com/4bbywb9j

Azerbaijan has destroyed the remains of two schools and with them traces of a medieval Armenian past. Their ruination encapsulates the cycles of erasure that have wrecked cultural landscapes in the NK conflict. Our latest StoryMap 'Wreckage upon Wreckage'. storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/2e1ec3…

DESTRUCTION ALERT: Satellite imagery dated April 4 shows that the destruction of the Ghazanchetsots cemetery in Shusha is complete. This marks the first destruction of a cemetery since the @CIJ_ICJ ordered Azerbaijan to prevent and punish attacks on Armenian cultural heritage.1/3

DESTRUCTION ALERT: Between December 28, 2023 and April 4, 2024, St. John the Baptist church (S. Hovhannes Mkrtich), a 177 year old landmark in Shusha was destroyed, Azerbaijan’s most egregious violation yet of a December 2021 @ICJ order . 1/3 tinyurl.com/yr7jvd3r

We break the stories on violence against heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. Our satellite investigations counter post-truths and support informed debate. To continue speaking truth to power, we need your help. 18 days left, $12000 raised, $3000 to go. Plz give tinyurl.com/3rwwmpdd

New Technologies Can Help Prevent Cultural Erasure

Help Cornell University raise $25,000 for the project: New Technologies Can Help Prevent Cultural Erasure. Your gift will make a difference!

tinyurl.com

Giving day is here. Please consider supporting CHW’s efforts to monitor cultural heritage at risk. youtube.com/watch?v=FrOY5b…

DAMAGE ALERT: Between Oct. 5 and Nov. 3, another Armenian cemetery in Shusha/i was damaged. It appears that bulldozers dumped heaps of debris atop the old Ghazanchetsots cemetery (southeast of the cathedral), endangering the already fragmented tombstones. 1/7

DAMAGE ALERT: Between Oct. 5 and Nov. 3 bulldozers carved a road through an historic burial ground in Shusha/i known as the Yerevan Gate cemetery. Nestled amidst the trees are at least 78 Armenian-inscribed tombstones dating between 1802 and 1913. 1/5

DAMAGE ALERT: Construction in Shusha/i has damaged the archaeological remains of the 1838 Meghretsots Holy Mother of God church. A Nov. 3 satellite image shows that demolition debris (A) was recently dumped on the foundations of the old church, likely using heavy machinery. 1/5

Satellite monitoring is costly. Since 2021 CHW has kept watch over 270+ sites. With the ethnic cleansing of Karabakh this will ↑ to ≈500. If you rely on CHW for reliable info re: the status of Armenian cultural heritage pls. give to Cornell crowdfunding. tinyurl.com/mwkk954a

New Technologies Can Help Prevent Cultural Erasure

Help Cornell University raise $25,000 for the project: New Technologies Can Help Prevent Cultural Erasure. Your gift will make a difference!

tinyurl.com

An Armenian church in Azerbaijan was destroyed in 2022, violating an ICJ ruling. New activity raises questions about how the state is responding. CHW sets out the visual evidence of what happened in a new StoryMap. storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6e1857…

St. Sargis of Mokhrenes/Susanlyg

An Armenian church in Azerbaijan was destroyed, violating an ICJ ruling. New activity raises questions about how the state is responding.

storymaps.arcgis.com