Azerbaijan, along with other republics, made irreplaceable contribution to the victory over fascism.
According to the correspondent of Report News Agency detached to the event, Azerbaijani Ambassador Polad Bülbüloğlu said at the IX International forum of winners "The great Victory got by unity" held in St. Petersburg. "We should not forget that this victory got by unity. The Azerbaijani people made a significant contribution to the whole victory by numerous manifestations of heroism in the battles, self-scarifying work in the rear. Every fifth Azerbaijani citizen fought on the fronts of World War II. 681,000 Azerbaijani people from 3.4 million population went to the front, of which more than 10,000 were women. Unfortunately, more than half of participants did not return to their homes," he said.
According to him, there is a commemorative plaque with the names of 100 Azerbaijani soldiers at Piskaryovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg, who died in the battles for Leningrad.
"Azerbaijan was the main supplier of oil and oil products during the war. Our oilmen produced 80% of all fuel produced on the territory of the USSR. More than 75 million tons of Baku oil was sent for military needs. Baku, unfortunately, did not receive the title of hero city, since formally there were no fights on its territory. However, Baku is a hero city in fact, as the battles for oil, or rather for vital resources, were held just here day and night. Azerbaijan gave to the front as much oil as it was necessary for victory”. - the Azerbaijani Ambassador added.
According to him, 8 aircraft and tanks out of 10 worked on Baku fuel and there was no alternative.
" 15 kg of gold, 952 kg of silver, 320 million rubles from personal savings of Azerbaijanis were transferred to the needs of the front. There were more than 1.6 million units of goods and 125 wagons of warm clothes at the front. Moreover, two cars of pressed caviar and 40 tons of dried fruits were sent to Leningrad by Baku enterprises, as well as medicines and dressings," Bülbüloğlu said.
He pointed out that 87 battalions were formed on the territory of Azerbaijan, which passed from the depths of Russia to Berlin. More than 170 thousand soldiers from Azerbaijan were awarded military orders and medals, and 123 people were awarded the title of hero of the Soviet Union.