Lachin: Today marks the celebration of Lachin City Day in Azerbaijan, commemorating the historic return of Lachin city, along with Zabukh and Sus villages, to Azerbaijani control on August 26, 2022.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the significance of this day is rooted in a decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on July 31, 2022, which established City Days for the territories liberated during the Patriotic War. Lachin City Day is celebrated with festive events, reflecting both a military and political victory for Azerbaijan.
On August 26, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev, accompanied by First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, participated in the Lachin City Day celebrations on the banks of the Hakari River. This event was organized with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, and the Special Representative Office of the President in Lachin district. The President addressed those in attendance, marking the significance of the occasion.
The return of Lachin district to Azerbaijan on
December 1, 2020, was part of a trilateral statement signed after Azerbaijan’s victory in the Patriotic War. This agreement led to Armenia’s withdrawal from several territories, including Lachin. Initially, due to the Lachin corridor’s strategic importance, the city remained under the temporary control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. However, with the completion of an alternative road, the Azerbaijani Army successfully entered Lachin city on August 26, 2022, asserting control and raising the national flag.