Today, Azerbaijan celebrates the second anniversary of the Great Victory in Karabakh, Report informs.
Victory Day was established on December 3, 2020, by a decree signed by the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev.
In response to Armenia's provocation and further military aggression, the Azerbaijani Army launched a patriotic war on September 27 last year to end the occupation of the Azerbaijani lands, force Armenia to peace, apply the UN Security Council resolutions, return IDPs to their native lands and restore justice. All the people of Azerbaijan were mobilized and united for this sacred cause.
During the 44-day battle, the brave Azerbaijani Army liberated five cities, four settlements, and 286 villages. Thus, Jabrayil city and 90 villages of the homonymous district, Fuzuli city and 53 villages of the homonymous district, Zangilan city, Minjivan, Aghband, Bartaz settlements and 52 villages of the Zangilan district, Hadrut settlement and 35 villages of the Khojavand district, three villages of the Tartar district, Gubadli city and 41 villages of the homonymous district, nine villages of the Khojaly district, Shusha city, three villages of the Lachin district, as well as several strategic heights in the direction of Aghdara and Murovdagh, Bartaz, Sigirt, Shukurataz heights in Zangilan and five more unnamed heights were cleared from the enemy.
Courageous Azerbaijani soldiers and officers stepped forward, broke through the engineering and fortification systems established by Armenia for many years. Azerbaijani lands were liberated at the cost of the blood and lives of its heroic soldiers and officers, martyrs.
Azerbaijan's military victories, especially the liberation of Shusha from enemy captivity, played a decisive role in the fate of the war, resulting in Armenia's recognition of its defeat and capitulation, forcing Armenia to return Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin districts to Azerbaijan.
The determination and will of the Azerbaijani people, economic strength, modern army building, and people's unity were important factors in ensuring Azerbaijan's victory. Inspired by the rich history of statehood and military history of great ancestors, the people of Azerbaijan wrote another glorious chronicle of heroism, proving to the whole world that they were a victorious nation and won a historic victory over the enemy.
Thus, this unprecedented victory, which has become a celebration of the power of the Azerbaijani people and national pride, and is of exceptional importance for the prestige and future development of the Azerbaijani state, has been perpetuated.
On the night of November 9-10, 2020, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a trilateral statement on a complete ceasefire in the conflict zone and all military operations. Armenia signed an act of capitulation on the same day. It put an end to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Under the November 10 statement, Aghdam, Kalbajar, and Lachin district were peacefully returned to Azerbaijan.
With the liberation of Shusha on November 8, the Armenian Army realized that it had fallen to its knees, and the military-political leadership of the occupying country had to come to terms with the defeat in the Second Karabakh War. Unable to fight the mighty Azerbaijani Army, which liberated new villages and towns every day under the leadership of victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, Armenia had to sign an act of capitulation on November 10.
Thus, the liberation of Shusha, the pearl of Karabakh, dear to every Azerbaijani, on November 8, played a decisive role in the fate of the war, leading to the defeat of the enemy's military-political leadership and the cessation of hostilities.
Considering the historical significance of Shusha and its liberation from occupation, it was decided to celebrate this unprecedented victory - Victory Day - on November 8 each year.