Azerbaijan is celebrating its Victory in the Patriotic War.
According to elchi, in response to Armenia’s latest military aggression on September 27, 2020, the people of Azerbaijan, under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, launched the Patriotic War to liberate their occupied lands.
As a result of 44 days of military operations, the Victorious Azerbaijani Army liberated the settlement of Sugovushan in Tartar district on October 3, the city of Jabrayil on October 4, the settlement of Hadrut in Khojavand district on October 9, the city of Fuzuli on October 17, the city of Zangilan on October 20, the city of Gubadli on October 25, and the city of Shusha on November 8. In total, more than 300 settlements, as well as important strategic heights in the directions of Aghdara, Murovdağ, and Zangilan, were liberated from occupation.
Valiant Azerbaijani soldiers and officers advanced step by step, breaking through the engineering and fortification systems built by Armenia over many years. Our lands were liberated at the cost of the blood and lives of our heroic soldiers and officers, and our martyrs.
2908 servicemen of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were martyred in the Patriotic War, and 6 are considered missing.
The enemy, unable to withstand the victorious march of the Azerbaijani Army, resorted to provocations and committed war crimes by targeting innocent civilians.
Ancient Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, as well as the cities of Mingachevir (Water Power Station) and Yevlakh (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline), which have strategic facilities in their territories, and the districts of Beylagan, Barda, Tartar, Gabala, Goranboy, Aghjabadi, Absheron, Khizi, and others, were fired upon with ballistic missiles and other heavy artillery.
In total, as a result of Armenia’s military aggression, 93 civilians, including 12 children and 27 women, were killed, 454 civilians were injured, and a total of 12,292 residential and non-residential areas and 288 vehicles were damaged, and damage was identified in 1018 farmer households.
Despite all this, Azerbaijan’s military victories, especially the liberation of Shusha from enemy occupation, played a decisive role in the fate of the war, resulting in Armenia’s admission of defeat and capitulation, forcing Armenia to return the districts of Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin to Azerbaijan.
The determination and will of the Azerbaijani people, economic strength, modern army building, and the unity of the people and the government have been important factors ensuring our country’s victory. The Azerbaijani people, with a rich history of statehood and military tradition, have written another glorious chapter of heroism, proving to the whole world that they are a victorious nation and achieving a historic victory over the enemy.
Realizing its defeat in the war, Armenia was forced to sign a capitulation act on November 10, 2020.
On November 10, a Statement was signed between the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, and the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. According to the Statement, the cessation of fire and all military operations in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was declared at 00:00 Moscow time on November 10, 2020.
The Trilateral Statement also included the return of the districts of Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin to Azerbaijan.
On November 20, the city of Aghdam and the occupied part of Aghdam district, on November 25, Kalbajar district, and on December 1, Lachin district were liberated from occupation.
Azerbaijan achieved the liberation of these three districts without any losses.
At the same time, on April 23, 2023, our territorial integrity was fully restored. A border crossing point was established on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border in the direction of Lachin. On September 20, Azerbaijan fully restored its sovereignty. As a result of local anti-terrorism measures carried out in less than 24 hours, the Armenian army illegally settled in the territory of Azerbaijan surrendered, accepted Azerbaijan’s terms, and thus, Azerbaijan fully ensured its state sovereignty.
On October 15, 2023, the Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, raised the glorious tricolor flag of Azerbaijan in Khankendi, Aghdara, Khojaly, Asgaran, and Khojavand.
The process of withdrawal of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation, temporarily stationed in the territory of Azerbaijan after the Patriotic War, was completed on June 12, 2024. The personnel, weapons, and equipment of the peacekeeping contingent have completely left our territory.
In addition, the Turkish-Russian Joint Monitoring Center in Aghdam has ceased its operations.
President Ilham Aliyev signed a Decree on the establishment of Victory Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan on December 3, 2020.
According to the Decree, November 8, the day Shusha was liberated from occupation, is solemnly celebrated as Victory Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
A number of events are planned to be held on November 8 in connection with Victory Day.
It should be noted that November 8 is a non-working day in the country.