President Ilham Aliyev Lays Wreath at Victory Monument in Khankendi, Delivers Victory Day Address

Khankendi, The Gulf Observer: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev visited the Victory Monument in Khankendi on the occasion of November 8 – Victory Day and laid a wreath at the monument. In his Victory Day address, delivered in front of the Victory Arch, the head of state congratulated the people of Azerbaijan and the Armed Forces.

“I sincerely congratulate my dear people and the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Victory Day,” President Ilham Aliyev said.

Victory Day Address Honours the Martyrs of the Patriotic War

The President paid tribute to the soldiers and officers who were martyred in the Patriotic War. He said that through their sacrifice and the heroism of Azerbaijan’s servicemen, the country was able to put an end to the Armenian occupation.

He noted that during the 44 days of the war, the Armed Forces demonstrated heroism, valour, patriotism and self-sacrifice, and more than 300 cities and villages were liberated in combat. As a result, Armenia was forced to sign an act of capitulation on the night of November 9–10. The territories not yet liberated on the battlefield were then returned to Azerbaijan “without a single shot being fired and without the loss of a single additional martyr.”

“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, and future generations will also take pride in it,” the President said.

“The Main Path to Victory Ran Through the Hearts of Our People”

President Ilham Aliyev recalled the immense challenges the army faced. Armenia had built several lines of fortifications in the occupied territories, in some areas six or seven defensive lines, and every location was mined.

He said that years of army building, greater professionalism, regular military exercises and modern equipment and weaponry played a major role in the Victory. “However, the main path to Victory ran through the hearts of our people, our soldiers, and our officers. What drove us forward was the path of dignity,” he stressed.

The President said Azerbaijan never accepted the occupation, despite claims that there was no military solution to the conflict and pressure to make unacceptable concessions. “I repeatedly stated that we would never accept the occupation and that, if Armenia did not voluntarily withdraw from the occupied lands, we would restore our territorial integrity by military means,” he said.

He added that not a single person fled or deserted from the Azerbaijani Army. By contrast, according to the Armenian leadership’s own admission, there were nearly 12,000 deserters in the Armenian army.

From Shusha to Khankendi

The head of state said that the liberation of Shusha on November 8 effectively decided the outcome of the Second Garabagh War, and that Armenia signed the act of capitulation one day later.

Responding to past remarks by the Armenian leadership, he said: “I stated that ‘Garabagh is Azerbaijan, and exclamation mark.’ We placed that exclamation mark right here in Khankendi on September 20, 2023.” He noted that the one-day anti-terror operation completely paralysed the 15,000-strong occupation force, and Armenia was forced to surrender for the second time.

Building and Creating in Liberated Garabagh

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the large-scale reconstruction under way in the liberated territories. “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,” he said.

He noted that during the occupation, cities and villages were razed to the ground and historical monuments and mosques were destroyed. Now, under the Great Return Program, 97,000 people already live, study and work in the liberated territories, and former displaced persons return to their native lands every month.

Victory Museum to Open in Khankendi

The President noted that the Victory Arch in Khankendi is the second arch built in honour of the Victory, after the one in Baku. A Victory Museum will also open in Khankendi, in the former executive authority building, which he described as once “the cradle of aggression and occupation policies against Azerbaijan.” Final work on the museum is under way.

He added that each step of the staircase leading to the Victory Arch bears the date of a day of the Patriotic War. “Every person ascending this staircase rightfully feels a sense of pride, reliving the history of our glorious 44-day march,” he said, noting that the blood of the martyrs is also etched into the staircase.

Azerbaijanism: The Philosophy Behind All Achievements

The head of state emphasised that national and spiritual values form the foundation of the Azerbaijani state. “The ideology of Azerbaijanism is the philosophy underpinning all our achievements,” he said, noting that all ethnic groups and representatives of all religions in Azerbaijan live together as one family.

Concluding his Victory Day address, President Ilham Aliyev said: “Today, Azerbaijan is a strong state—politically, economically, and militarily independent, dependent on no one, pursuing an independent policy, and possessing dignity. Glory to the Azerbaijani people! Glory to our Armed Forces! Long live Azerbaijan!”