President addresses the Azerbaijani people
President of Azerbaijan and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev is addressing the nation on the occasion of Victory Day.
TodayPress TV reports that the head of state is delivering his address from the city of Khankendi.
“I wholeheartedly congratulate my dear people on Victory Day. I congratulate the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.
May the souls of our soldiers and officers who were martyred in the Patriotic War rest in peace. May Allah have mercy on all our martyrs. At the cost of their lives and blood, and thanks to the heroism of our military personnel, we were able to put an end to the Armenian occupation. For 44 days, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces demonstrated heroism, bravery, patriotism and self-sacrifice. The enemy was broken on the battlefield. During the 44-day Patriotic War, more than 300 cities and villages were liberated from the enemy on the battlefield. The Azerbaijani flag was raised in those settlements, and as a result, on the night of november 9-10, Armenia was forced to sign an act of capitulation. Thus, the territories that had not yet been liberated on the battlefield at that time were also returned to Azerbaijan without a single shot being fired or a single martyr being lost.
The 44-day Patriotic War is a glorious chapter in our history. We are rightfully proud of this Victory. The entire Azerbaijani people are proud of it. Future generations will also be proud. This glorious history will live in our hearts forever.
During the Patriotic War, the Azerbaijani people demonstrated their moral qualities to the entire world. Armenia had built several fortification systems in the occupied territories. In some places, there were six or seven lines of defence. All areas were mined. Barbed wire, fortifications, advantageous positions, hills and mountains – all these created enormous difficulties for us. The Armenian side was convinced that Azerbaijan would not be able to liberate its lands by military means, or that no one would allow us to do so. They were wrong, and the Azerbaijani people once again showed the entire world what a great nation they are. Our soldiers and officers put their lives on the line to break through the defensive lines. They were martyred, wounded and attained the highest honour of martyrdom. In other words, it was our national spirit that drove us forward.
Naturally, the long years of army-building, improving the professionalism of our Armed Forces, holding regular military exercises, enhancing combat capability, and equipping our army with modern technology and weapons played a major role in achieving our Victory. However, the main path to Victory ran through the hearts of our people, soldiers and officers. The path that led us forward was the path of dignity. The Azerbaijani people never intended to accept the occupation. During the occupation, I repeatedly stated openly at various events that Azerbaijan would never reconcile itself to the occupation. Although the countries standing behind Armenia wanted us to accept it, they repeatedly told us that there was no military solution to this conflict. They repeatedly resorted to various provocations to push us into unacceptable concessions. The large-scale smear, slander and defamation campaign against Azerbaijan, as well as all the provocations designed to discredit the Azerbaijani state, its people and its leadership, failed to achieve any results. I repeatedly stated that we would never accept the occupation and that if Armenia did not voluntarily withdraw from the occupied territories, we would restore our territorial integrity by military means.
Unfortunately, they did not heed my words. As a result, our people united like a fist and broke the enemy on the battlefield, restoring historical justice, our dignity and international law.
The Armenian side had become so emboldened that it constantly threatened us. It threatened us with a new war for new territories and tried to humiliate our dignity with the words, ‘Karabakh is Armenia, and that’s it.’ We responded on the battlefield, where everyone saw with their own eyes who was who. Not a single member of the Azerbaijani Army fled the battlefield or deserted. Meanwhile, according to the admission of Armenia’s own leadership, there were nearly 12,000 deserters in the Armenian army. That is the difference. By securing complete superiority on the battlefield, the Azerbaijani Army effectively determined the outcome of the Second Karabakh War with the liberation of Shusha on november 8, the day we celebrate as Victory Day. One day later, on the night of november 9-10, Armenia signed an act of capitulation.
At the time, we also responded to the unwarranted statements made by the Armenian leadership. I declared that ‘Karabakh is Azerbaijan, and exclamation mark.’ We placed that exclamation mark here, in Khankendi, on september 20, 2023. The one-day anti-terror operation completely paralysed the 15,000-strong occupying Armenian military contingent. As a result of a highly precise and professional military operation, Armenia was forced to surrender for the second time.
Today, we are building and creating in liberated Karabakh. Today, we, the rightful owners of these lands, are showing the entire world that this is our land. Because we are a people who build and create. During the occupation, Armenia did nothing but plunder our natural resources, cut down our forests and illegally exploit our mines. We, on the other hand, are rebuilding cities from scratch.
During the occupation, all our cities and villages were razed to the ground. This was unprecedented barbarism. Armenia destroyed and desecrated our historical monuments and mosques. Now, large-scale reconstruction work is underway, and the Great Return Programme is being implemented. Already, 97,000 people live, study and work in the liberated territories, and every month we witness the return of former internally displaced persons to their ancestral lands.
I am delivering these congratulatory remarks here in Khankendi, in front of the Victory Arch. This is the second Victory Arch erected in honour of our glorious Victory. The first is in Baku, and the second is here, in Khankendi. The Victory Museum also operates next to the Victory Arch in Baku. The name of every martyr is engraved in the museum. There will also be a Victory Museum in Khankendi. Final preparations for its establishment are already underway. It will be located in the building of the former executive authority, which was once the cradle of aggression and occupation against Azerbaijan. It was a nest of evil. When I visited that building in october 2023, after our glorious Victory, I first opened its windows so that the evil spirit would leave the premises. Now, that same building will house the Victory Museum. Those who occupied that building – the war criminals – have received their due punishment. They wanted to come to Baku in tanks and drink tea in Baku. They made arrogant statements because they had taken refuge in the arms of certain people and believed they could pursue their policy of occupation forever. But we showed them who was who. We demonstrated the dignity, resilience and determination of the Azerbaijani people. Today, they are drinking tea in Azerbaijani prisons and have received the punishment they deserve.
Each step leading to this Victory Arch bears the date of one of the days of the Patriotic War. Everyone who climbs these steps rightfully feels a sense of pride and relives the history of our glorious 44-day march. All of this is natural. However, I must also point out that the blood of our martyrs is engraved on these steps as well. We lost martyrs every day, and blood was shed every day. Despite this, our people demonstrated true patriotism and solidarity, and the support coming from the people gave me additional strength as Supreme Commander-in-Chief. We only moved forward and never stopped for a single day or took a single step back. We drove the enemy out of our lands, restored justice, and today our territory is free and whole.
What drives us forward is our national and moral values. The Azerbaijani state is built on this foundation. Our national and moral values, our Azerbaijani values, are above everything else for us. For centuries, we have kept these values alive in our hearts, protected them and will pass them on to future generations as a sacred trust.
The ideology of Azerbaijanism is the philosophy underpinning all our achievements. Azerbaijanism is the philosophy that unites all our citizens. It is the ideology that drives us forward. All ethnic groups and representatives of all religions live in Azerbaijan like one family, and what unites us is citizenship, solidarity and the ideology of Azerbaijanism. This is our national idea. I would like to reiterate that this is the path leading to the future. I believe that the social and political stability prevailing in Azerbaijan today, the positive atmosphere, the drive for development and the unity of our society around a common goal are rarely seen in today’s world.
On this wonderful holiday, I would once again like to emphasise what a great people the Azerbaijani nation is. Only a great nation could demonstrate such determination despite all the suffering and hardships, despite 30 years of occupation and despite threats from major powers standing behind Armenia. Our people supported me and made our Victory possible.
As we celebrate this wonderful holiday, each of us rightfully feels a sense of pride. At the same time, we respectfully honour the cherished memory of our martyrs who sacrificed their lives on this path. I am certain that each of us tells ourselves: We must be so strong that no one will even dare to think of harming Azerbaijan again! I am confident that this will be the case. Today, Azerbaijan is a strong state – politically, economically and militarily independent of anyone. It is a state that pursues an independent policy and upholds its dignity.
Long live the Azerbaijani people! Long live our Armed Forces! Long live Azerbaijan!”
PHOTOS
