Azerbaijan marks the fifth anniversary of the historic Victory in the Patriotic War

Today, November 8, Azerbaijan celebrates Victory Day - a significant date that marked the triumph of the Azerbaijani army in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020. This day is forever inscribed in the country's history as a symbol of courage, heroism, and the unwavering will of the Azerbaijani people.

As BAKU.WS reminds, on December 2, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree "On the Establishment of Victory Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan." According to the document, in order to perpetuate the victory in the Patriotic War, which began on September 27, 2020, and lasted 44 days, it was decided to annually celebrate November 10 in Azerbaijan as Victory Day.

However, a day later, on December 3, the President amended this decree. The head of state, taking into account that November 10 is the day of remembrance of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Turkey, decided to change the date of Victory Day. The amendment notes that in connection with Azerbaijan's victory in the Karabakh war, November 8, the day of the liberation of the city of Shusha from Armenian occupation, will be celebrated annually as Victory Day.

Recall that as a result of the successful counter-offensive operation "Iron Fist," launched by the Azerbaijani army on September 27, 2020, in Karabakh and continued until November 9, five cities, four settlements, and 286 villages were liberated from occupation, including the city of Jabrayil and 90 villages of the same district, the city of Fuzuli and 53 villages of the same district, the city of Zangilan, the settlements of Minjivan, Agbend, Bartaz, and 52 villages of the Zangilan district, the settlement of Hadrut and 35 villages of the Khojavend district, three villages of the Terter district, the city of Gubadli and 41 villages of the same district, nine villages of the Khojaly district, the city of Shusha, three villages of the Lachin district, as well as several strategic heights in the direction of Agdere and Murovdag, as well as Bartaz, Sygirt, Shukurataz, and five more unnamed heights in Zangilan.

On November 10, 2020, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed a trilateral statement on a complete ceasefire and all military operations in the conflict zone. This document went down in history as Armenia's act of capitulation. According to the statement, the Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin districts were returned to Azerbaijan.

Five years later, on August 8, 2025, with the participation of the presidents of Azerbaijan and the United States, as well as the Prime Minister of Armenia, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed the text of the "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia."

It should be noted that the Azerbaijani army captured a large number of equipment left by Armenians on the battlefield as trophies. Currently, it is displayed in the Park of War Trophies in Baku.

During the Patriotic War, 2,908 servicemen of the Azerbaijani army heroically died, and six more are listed as missing in action.