In early 2021, during road construction works, the Azerbaijani side demolished the mosque in the village of Aygek (Yusifli, Kubatli region) (Fig. 1). The mosque was demolished by Azerbaijani road workers, who assumed it was an emergency, dilapidated rural structure. During the investigation, it was found that the responsible Azerbaijani state bodies were unaware that the building was a mosque and a monument of historical and cultural value, and therefore did not monitor its fate.

It is striking that, as early as 2001, the Azerbaijani authorities had included the Yusifli village mosque in the list of protected monuments, and after the occupation of these territories in 2020, they even organized media visits to the site ([https://www.trtrussian.com/article/5163533](https://www.trtrussian.com/article/5163533)). Even more surprising is that, while carrying out earthworks, the Azerbaijani side failed to notice the Arabic-script inscription on the mosque entrance lintel (Fig. 2) and, inside the structure, the niche known as the mihrab (Fig. 3). The fact of the mosque's destruction is clearly visible in satellite imagery, which has been documented by the "Research on Armenian Architecture" foundation ([https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1b4T3wtiJr/](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1b4T3wtiJr/)).

It should be noted that the main reason for the confusion and subsequent demolition lies in the appearance of the mosque structure. The mosques located in the territory of historical Artsakh are mainly village mosques. These are modest prayer houses with simple architecture and an almost unremarkable exterior. In plan, they are usually rectangular and single-nave. The mosques lack the distinctive outward appearance typical of larger Islamic prayer buildings. In some cases, the only features indicating that the structure is a mosque are the Arabic inscriptions carved on the entrance lintel and, inside, the niche known as the mihrab.

It should be added that the rural mosques of Artsakh were rarely studied during the Soviet period; for many of them, there was no factual documentation—no photographs, drawings, or measured surveys. Importantly, this is acknowledged by Azerbaijani architects themselves, who also note that village mosques are often difficult to distinguish.