Russian army occupied Azerbaijan in 1920, - Aliyev
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that in 1920, the Russian Bolshevik army "invaded and occupied" Azerbaijan.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Suspilne.
Aliyev recalled the events in Azerbaijan after the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917.
"The Bolsheviks who carried out the 1917 revolution deceived the people. We created our own state. But the Bolsheviks took it away from us. In April 1920, the Russian army invaded Azerbaijan and occupied it," Aliyev said.
The Azerbaijani president also acknowledged that relations between Russia and Azerbaijan had "deteriorated."
"We are not responsible for the deterioration of relations. We respond constructively and lawfully, but we never show any signs or manifestations of aggression or disrespect towards us," Aliyev said.
Aliyev recalled historical facts and relations with Russia in the context of the conflict with Armenia. Aliyev stated that the reason for the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region was the decision of the Soviet authorities to divide the disputed territories of Zangezur, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Nakhchivan between Armenia and Azerbaijan back in 1921. Zangezur became part of Armenia, while Nagorno-Karabakh became part of Azerbaijan with autonomous status.
