Aliyev: Azerbaijan's Entry into the USSR Was a 'Russian Army Invasion and Occupation'

Ilham Aliyev has referred to Azerbaijan's entry into the USSR as a 'Russian army invasion and occupation'.

'After the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established. It was the first democratic republic in the Muslim world, founded in May 1918. It lasted until April 1920, when the Russian army invaded Azerbaijan and occupied the country. The Bolsheviks deceived the people. We created our own state. But the Bolsheviks took it away from us. I would like to remind again that in April 1920, the Russian army invaded Azerbaijan and occupied it. A few months later, in November of that year, the Soviet Russian government decided to take Zangezur from Azerbaijan, which we call Western Zangezur, and hand it over to Armenia,' said the President of Azerbaijan.