"If we assess the tragedy that occurred in Baku, the leadership of the Soviet Union is to blame for this. Gorbachev's ostrich policy has led to many misfortunes and tragedies, which will come out in 30 years because people are killed again, and armed conflicts arise. Many problems were blurted out. When the situation became critical, the leadership at that moment framed the army. Such a story happened on January 20, 1990, 31 years ago," military expert Yuri Knutov told the Russian Bureau of Report, commenting on the tragic events of January 20, 1990, in Baku.
"This is a tragedy. It could not have happened if the Moscow leadership had reacted correctly to the region's situation. Then there would have been no protests, and indeed, there would not have been such a wild action as the introduction of troops into a peaceful city. It shouldn't be like this, especially against the citizens of their own country. This situation arose as a result of the inaction of the Soviet government, "he said.
Knutov expressed his condolences to the Azerbaijani people and noted that the most important thing is to learn the right lesson: "You can not bring the situation to extremes. You need to solve problems immediately. The residents of multi-ethnic Baku had to feel protected as part of a great country. But the decisions taken by the authorities were aimed at their destruction. The use of the army against its people is a shameful phenomenon."