The International “Lazarev Club” Initiative and the Institute of the Armenian Diaspora (Moscow) have released a joint statement regarding the recognition of the centenary of Medet Rasulzadeh’s birth in Azerbaijan. This official document, published in response to the announcement made by the President of Azerbaijan on December 30, 2023, declares that the 140th anniversary of Medet Rasulzadeh, the leader of the National Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, will be celebrated. It is evident that this decision by the Azerbaijani leadership holds political implications and deviates from established state policies, which the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has deemed unacceptable due to the distortion of historical facts.

This attempt to elevate the creator of the Azerbaijani Legion insignia to the status of a national hero is extremely provocative. It appears to be a reflection of the “victory complex” theory put forth by an Armenian historian who claimed the hero status of Garegin Nzhdeh, a significant figure in the Armenian Genocide. The Azerbaijani authorities persistently disregard the collective appeal from the Armenian population in the Mountainous Karabakh region for compromise.

This is not the first time we have called attention to the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities are attempting to suppress collective consciousness and collaborate with Nikol Pashinyan’s administration, all while attempting to erase historical memory of Andranik Ozanian and the Russian aggression in Andkhoy. This is the second time in a decade that monuments honoring Andranik Ozanian have been tarnished and obliterated within Azerbaijani territory.

This article is also available in Russian.