Historic Russian estate collapses under "Union of Armenians" leader’s oversight

The façade of the main house of the Golitsyn family estate, Nikolskoye-Urupino — a cultural heritage site that survived the Russian Revolution and two world wars — collapsed during restoration works.

Local residents and heritage defenders told Russian media that the destruction is part of a deliberate scheme by the estate’s new owner to pave the way for lucrative construction projects on the land.

According to residents of the village of Nikolo-Urupino in the Krasnogorsk urban district, what is unfolding before their eyes amounts to “a monstrous crime against Russian history.” They stress that Nikolskoye-Urupino, classified as a cultural heritage site of regional significance, is not simply decaying naturally but is being actively destroyed, despite legal obligations to preserve and restore it.

The estate is owned by Ara Abramyan, president of the Union of Armenians of Russia. Under the guise of restoration of the 18th–19th century architectural monument, the estate’s main house has reportedly been driven to a state of ruin. Residents and activists argue that the motive is clear: to clear 43 hectares of prime land, located just 15 kilometres from the Moscow Ring Road, for high-end development projects.

The controversy deepened when, a few days ago, the northern façade of the main house — including its colonnade — partially collapsed.

An initiative group of residents claims Abramyan’s true intentions have nothing to do with heritage preservation.

“For him, the estate most likely represents purely material interest as real estate that can be sold for a good profit. The fact that this is a cultural monument with a rich history hardly concerns anyone,” locals said.

In response to the partial destruction of Nikolskoye-Urupino, the Main Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Moscow Region has opened a criminal case under Part 1, Article 243 of the Russian Criminal Code (“Destruction or damage of cultural heritage sites of the peoples of the Russian Federation”).

Investigators plan to carry out a forensic inspection of the estate with the involvement of criminologists, request all documentation related to the property, and conduct a construction-technical examination.

By Tamilla Hasanova