President Ilham Aliyev, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, visited the Victory Monument in Khankendi and laid a wreath on November 8, Victory Day.
Aliyev congratulated the people of Azerbaijan on Victory Day, Operative Information Center-OMM reports.
President Ilham Aliyev’s
congratulatory address
– I wholeheartedly congratulate my dear people on Victory Day, and I congratulate the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
May the souls of the soldiers and officers who were martyred in the Patriotic War rest in peace. May God have mercy on all our martyrs. At the cost of their lives and blood, and thanks to the heroism of our servicemen, we were able to end the Armenian occupation. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces displayed heroism, courage, patriotism and self-sacrifice over 44 days. 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 were returned to Azerbaijan at the time, 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 be proud, too. This glorious history will live forever in our hearts.
During the Patriotic War, the Azerbaijani people showed their moral qualities to the whole world. Armenia had built several fortifications in the occupied territories. In some places, it had established six or seven lines of defense. The entire area was mined. Barbed wire, fortifications, advantageous positions, hills and mountains—all of these posed great challenges for us. The Armenian side was convinced that Azerbaijan would not be able to liberate its lands by military means, or that someone would not allow us to do so. They were wrong, and the Azerbaijani people once again showed the whole world how great a people they are. Our soldiers and officers stepped forward to break through the defensive lines; they were martyred, wounded and attained the highest honor of martyrdom. In other words, it was our national spirit that drove us forward.
Of course, years of army-building, improving the professionalism of our Armed Forces, holding regular military exercises, increasing combat capability, and equipping our army with modern technology and weapons played a major role in securing our Victory. But the main road to Victory ran through the hearts of our people, our soldiers and our 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 publicly at various events that Azerbaijan would not accept it. Although the countries standing behind Armenia wanted to make us accept the occupation, they repeatedly said there was no military solution to the conflict. They repeatedly resorted to various provocations to push us toward unacceptable concessions. The large-scale smear and slander campaign against Azerbaijan, and all the provocations aimed at discrediting the Azerbaijani state, people and leadership, achieved nothing. I repeatedly said that we would never accept the occupation and that, if Armenia did not withdraw from the occupied lands of its own accord, we would restore our territorial integrity by military means.
Unfortunately, they did not heed my words. As a result, our people united as one fist, broke the enemy on the battlefield, and restored historical justice, our dignity and international law.
The Armenian side had become so emboldened that it constantly threatened us. It threatened a new war for new territories and tried to humiliate our dignity with the words, “Garabagh is Armenia, and that’s that.” We answered on the battlefield, where everyone saw for themselves who was who. Not a single member of the Azerbaijani Army fled or deserted. Yet, according to the Armenian leadership’s own admission, there were nearly 12,000 deserters in the Armenian army. That is the difference. Having secured total superiority on the battlefield, Azerbaijan liberated Shusha on November 8—the day we celebrate Victory Day—effectively deciding the fate of the Second Garabagh War. The following day, on the night of November 9-10, Armenia signed an act of capitulation.
At the time, we also responded to the Armenian leadership’s unfounded statements. I said, “Garabagh is Azerbaijan, exclamation mark.” We placed that exclamation mark here, in Khankendi, on September 20, 2023. In a one-day anti-terrorist operation, the 15,000-strong occupying corps of Armenia’s occupying army was completely paralyzed. As a result of a very precise and professional military operation, Armenia was forced to surrender for a second time.
Today, we are building and creating in liberated Garabagh. Today, we—the owners of these lands—are showing the whole world that this is our land. We are a people who build and create. During the occupation, Armenia only plundered our natural resources, cut down our forests and illegally exploited our mines. We, by contrast, 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. Extensive reconstruction work is now under way, and the Great Return Program is being implemented. As many as 97,000 people are already living, studying and working in the liberated territories, and every month we witness former internally displaced persons returning to their native lands.
I am delivering these words of congratulations in Khankendi, in front of the Arch of Victory. It is the second arch erected in honor of our glorious Victory. The first is in Baku, and the second is here, in Khankendi. The Victory Museum also operates beside the Arch of Victory in Baku. The name of every martyr is inscribed in the museum. There will also be a Victory Museum in Khankendi. Final work to establish it is under way. It will be housed in the former executive authority building, which was once the cradle of aggression against Azerbaijan and its policy of occupation. It was a den of the devil. When I came to that building after our glorious Victory, in October 2023, the first thing I did was open its windows so that the evil spirit would leave. The Victory Museum will now be housed in that building. Those who occupied it—war criminals—have received their due punishment. They wanted to come to Baku in tanks and drink tea there. They made arrogant statements because they had taken refuge in the arms of certain people and believed they could pursue a policy of occupation forever. We showed them who was who. We demonstrated the dignity, resilience and will of the Azerbaijani people, and today they are drinking tea in Azerbaijani prisons, having received their due punishment.
Each step leading to this Arch of Victory bears the date of a day of the Patriotic War. Everyone who climbs these stairs rightfully feels pride and relives the history of our glorious 44-day campaign. All of this is natural. But I must also say that the blood of our martyrs is also inscribed on these steps. We lost martyrs every day, and blood was shed every day. Nevertheless, our people showed true patriotism and solidarity, and the support of the people gave me, as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, additional strength. We moved forward and never stopped for a single day, never took a step back, drove the enemy from our lands, restored justice, and today our territory is free and whole.
Our national and moral values are what drive us forward. The Azerbaijani state is built on this foundation. Our national and moral values—Azerbaijani values—are more important to us than anything else. For centuries, we have kept these values alive in our hearts, protected them and will pass them on to future generations as a trust.
The ideology of Azerbaijanism is the philosophy underpinning all our successes. It is a philosophy that unites all our citizens and an idea that drives us forward. In Azerbaijan, all ethnic groups and representatives of all religions live together like one family. What unites us is citizenship, solidarity and the ideology of Azerbaijanism. This is our national idea. I want to say once again that it is the path to the future. The social and political stability prevailing in Azerbaijan today, the positive atmosphere, the drive to build and the unity of our society around a common purpose are, I believe, a rare sight in today’s world.
On this beautiful holiday, I want once again to note what a great people the Azerbaijani people are. Only a great people could show such resolve despite all the hardship and 30 years of occupation—even though major powers standing behind Armenia threatened us—and, by supporting me, make our Victory possible.
As we celebrate this beautiful holiday, each of us rightfully feels pride. At the same time, we respectfully remember all the martyrs who gave their lives on this path. I am confident that each of us says to ourselves: We must be so strong that no one even thinks of harming Azerbaijan again. I am sure that this will be so. Today, Azerbaijan is a strong state—politically, economically and militarily dependent on no one, pursuing an independent policy and upholding its dignity.
Long live the Azerbaijani people! Long live our Armed Forces! Long live Azerbaijan!
