Sumgait vs. Khojaly: Unraveling the Nexus of Moscow’s Interests, Denialism, and Hidden Agendas in the Shadow of Tragedy

The violence, fatalities, and displacement of people the Sumgait events of 1988 and the Khojaly massacre of 1992 etch them in the collective memory, marking significant moments in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict during the twilight of the Soviet Union. This study aims to examine the Sumgait events of 1988 and the Khojaly massacre of 1992 in a comparative manner. To this end, the following research questions will be addressed within the study’s scope: What were Russia’s imperialistic interests in its ‘passive’ and ‘active’ involvement in both cases? Did the parties to the conflict exhibit a motive of denialism concerning the compared cases? Lastly, were there any premeditated and deliberate actions during the events?