The research titled “Urbicide in Eastern Europe and the Middle East: Grozny, Aleppo, and Aghdam in Comparative Analysis,” co-authored under the scientific supervision of AIR Center Chairman Farid Shafiyev, has been published in the Journal of Urban Affairs.

The Journal of Urban Affairs is widely regarded as one of the leading scholarly journals in the field, distinguished by its strong academic reputation and extensive citation record.

The article primarily focuses on the factors that characterize the phenomenon of urbicide in the contemporary context. It argues that these factors encompass: (a) large-scale urban destruction carried out for political purposes; (b) ethnic cleansing and population displacement; and (c) the systematic eradication of cultural heritage.

According to contemporary approaches, urbicide should not be understood merely as destruction arising from military necessity; rather, it must also be viewed as the deliberate degradation of historical and cultural identity, as well as a means of erasing collective memory.

A key original contribution of this study is its examination of Aghdam and other Azerbaijani cities that remained under Armenian occupation. In particular, these cities were systematically destroyed following the cessation of active hostilities, primarily with the objective of preventing the future return and resettlement of their displaced populations.

The study also provides a comprehensive overview of how different scholars have conceptualized and defined urbicide.

The study uses interviews, photo reports, and comparative analysis as its main research methods. Information on Aghdam was mainly gathered from official state archives, field research, and various local institutional sources. For Grozny and Aleppo, the data comes from reports by international organizations, academic studies, media materials, and publications from human rights bodies, including the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Global Conflict Tracker, and similar platforms.

It should be noted that the study contributes to the further conceptual clarification of urbicide within the academic literature, framing it as a phenomenon that, over time, evolves into a long-term threat. It also situates urbicide within a broader political context and provides a valuable reference for scholars engaged in this field.