The sixth anniversary of the historic Victory in the Patriotic War is being celebrated in Azerbaijan

Today, November 8, Victory Day is celebrated in Azerbaijan - a momentous 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 indomitable 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 commemorate the victory in the Patriotic War that began on September 27, 2020 and lasted 44 days, it was decided to solemnly celebrate November 10 annually in Azerbaijan as Victory Day.

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

It should be recalled that as a result of the successful counter-offensive operation "Iron Fist," launched by the Azerbaijani army on September 27, 2020 in Karabakh and continuing until November 9, five cities, four towns, and 286 villages were liberated from occupation, including the city of Jabrayil and 90 villages of the district of the same name, the city of Fuzuli and 53 villages of the district of the same name, the city of Zangilan, the towns of Minjivan, Aghband, Bartaz and 52 villages of the Zangilan district, the town of Hadrut and 35 villages of the Khojavend district, three villages of the Tartar district, the city of Gubadly and 41 villages of the district of the same name, 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 Aghdara and Murovdag, and also Bartaz, Sygirt, Shukurataz and five more unnamed heights in Zangilan.

On November 10, 2020, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, and President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed a trilateral statement on a complete ceasefire and the cessation of 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 the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of 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 amount of equipment abandoned by the Armenians on the battlefield as trophies. It is currently on display at the Military Trophies Park in Baku.

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