Azerbaijan Marks June 26 - Armed Forces Day

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 25. Today, Azerbaijan celebrates the armed forces Day.

The process of forming national armed forces started at the beginning of the last century, in 1918. The government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which proclaimed its independence, established the first regular military unit - the Separate Azerbaijani Corps, on June 26 of the same year. The renaming of the Muslim Corps to the Separate Azerbaijani Corps was an important step toward the creation of national armed forces.

However, with the downfall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the process of army building in our country also stopped. Only after National Leader Heydar Aliyev came to power in 1969, due to his exceptional merits, did the process of training military cadres have positive dynamics. It was a turning point in the national army's construction and developed as a dynamic process. Thus, a military lyceum named after Jamshid Nakhchivanski was established. The activity of this school led to the strengthening of interest in military art in Azerbaijan and the training of Azerbaijani cadre officers. Following the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence, the Military Lyceum, named after Jamshid Nakhchivanski became one of the main bases of army formation.

After National Leader Heydar Aliyev came back to power in 1993 at the insistence of the people, important steps were taken in the direction of army construction. The formation of the Azerbaijani National Army accelerated after the signing of the ceasefire agreement in the Armenian-Azerbaijani military conflict on May 12, 1994. The successfully implemented policy resulted in special attention being paid to improving the material and technical support of the Armed Forces, enhancing the moral and psychological training of the personnel, and raising morale.

According to the decree of National Leader Heydar Aliyev dated May 22, 1998, the day of formation of the Separate Azerbaijani Corps - June 26 - was declared the Day of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and this date is annually celebrated as an official state holiday.

Furthermore, Heydar Aliyev signed a decree on February 20, 1999, on the establishment of the Military Academy for further development of the military education system. The establishment of the Academy can be considered a qualitatively new stage in the process of forming the national personnel reserve in the military sphere.

Following the tradition started by the National Leader, army construction became a priority during the years of independence. Azerbaijan has established cooperative ties with NATO.

The production of more than 400 items of defense items by the Ministry of Defense Industry is one of the important indicators of the growth of our country's military power. These achievements have created invaluable opportunities for Azerbaijan to equip its army with the necessary arms and ammunition. The improvement of the defense capability and combat efficiency of the national army, improvement of its material and technical support are constantly at the center of attention.

President Ilham Aliyev always pays special attention to the upgrading of the material and technical supply of the Armed Forces, the creation of modern infrastructure, the social protection of servicemen, the improvement of housing, and the development of the defense industry.

In recent years, Azerbaijan has been producing various types of military equipment, armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and small arms due to its emerging and dynamically developing military industry. Azerbaijan can equip its army to a large extent with military products manufactured at its plants. Agreements have been signed with several countries on the purchase of arms and military equipment and the production of military products, and military cooperation ties have been expanded.

Modernization of the armed forces is one of the strategic directions of the state policy of President Ilham Aliyev. The fact that the dynamic development of our country in recent years has been accompanied by an increase in the budget of the armed forces and, as a consequence, the strengthening of the Azerbaijani army, once again confirms the commitment of the head of our state to his promise on army construction.

Nowadays, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces are considered to be the most modern army in the Caucasus. The fact that the Azerbaijani Army is among the top 50 strongest armies in the world is also due to such necessary and timely reforms.

Azerbaijan has put an end to 30 years of occupation of its territories, thanks to the strength of its army. Under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, who conducted successful diplomatic work to make the world aware of Armenia's occupation policy that led to the violation of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, our brave army won a historic victory over the enemy in the Second Karabakh War, which began with a counter-offensive operation on September 27, 2020. Thanks to the courage and bravery of our heroic warriors, and the sacrifice of our martyrs, the whole world witnessed Azerbaijan's glorious Victory.

More than 300 settlements of Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Gubadli, Shusha, Kalbajar, Aghdam, and Lachin districts were liberated. The Azerbaijani Army proved its superiority on the battlefield. The capitulation of the enemy is the result achieved due to the strength of the Azerbaijani Army, and correct military-strategic decisions.

Today, the international community's recognition of the strength of the Azerbaijani Army is clear proof of the development of our country's Armed Forces. The battle tactics used during the Second Karabakh War are considered an innovation in world military history and are studied in the textbooks of the relevant higher military institutions. It is not excluded that the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, no matter how strong they are today, will become even more powerful in the future.

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