Ukrainian experts and journalists address Azerbaijan on anniversary of Patriotic War outbreak

Ukrainian experts and journalists have sent an appeal to Report's Eastern European bureau on the anniversary of the outbreak of the Azerbaijan Patriotic War (Second Karabakh War).

The appeal sent to the bureau by renowned military expert Yury Kochevenko honours the memory of service members and civilians martyred in the 44-day Patriotic War, which began with Azerbaijan's counter-offensive on September 27, 2020, and ended with its victory, as well as journalists killed by landmines after the war.

"We closely followed the course of the war and its aftermath. Azerbaijan, like Ukraine, suffered from separatism and occupation of its territories. During the 44-day war that began on September 27 last year, besides the line of contact, Azerbaijan's Aghdam, Aghjabadi, Beylagan, Dashkasan, Fuzuli, Goranboy, Ganja, Barda, Mingachevir, and even Gabala, Siyazan, Khizi, and other cities which located a hundred or two hundred kilometres behind the frontline were also targeted. Many of these targets have resulted in civilian casualties, including infants. Along with the dead servicemen, we offer our condolences to their families and the people of Azerbaijan. At the cost of their lives, Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty, and the Karabakh conflict ended. Today, the same problem exists in Ukraine - aggression against its sovereignty in Donbas. The occupation continues against us. The spirit of our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters who died for the homeland gives us the strength that we will soon recover the territorial integrity of Ukraine by returning Donbas and Crimea. We respectfully commemorate all martyred Azerbaijani brothers and sisters," the appeal wrote.

The appeal was submitted by a well-known Ukrainian writer, retired officer Vladimir Chepovoy, retired colonel, famous military journalist, special correspondent of Army Inform, ex-speaker of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladislav Voloshin, head of research projects at the Center for Social Engineering "Implementation and Analysis of Non-Systemic Actions" Dmitry Gromakov, Retired Officer, Editor-in-Chief of Chernym Po Belomu News Agency Ruslan Orujov and head of ATo veterans union Yuriy Lomov. A popular journalist of the Levy Bereg News Agency Andrei Olen also joined the appeal.

On September 27, 2020, under the leadership of Victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, the brave Azerbaijani Army launched counter-offensive operations along the entire front to prevent military provocations, combat activity and ensure the security of the civilian population.