In the military confrontation that unfolded more than a month ago, a turning point has emerged that could lead to the defeat of Armenia. Thus, Azerbaijan announced the capture of Shusha, an important city from a military point of view. The Armenian side refutes this information, however, it is obvious that the Azerbaijani military is at least close to its goal.
ElitExpert found out why this city is so important and what is happening in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Contradictory information
Yesterday, November 8, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said that the military managed to take the city of Shusha (as Azerbaijanis call it).
"I am very proud to announce that the city of Shusha has been liberated from occupation! Shusha is ours! Karabakh is ours!... Shusha, which was under occupation for 28,5 years, was liberated," Aliyev said.
President of Turkey Recep Erdogan hastened to congratulate Ego.
"The liberation of Shusha is a symbol of the speedy liberation of the remaining occupied lands of Azerbaijan. On behalf of myself, my family members and the entire nation of Turkey, I congratulate my brothers on this significant victory," Erdoğan was quoted as saying by the Anadolu agency.
However, in Armenia he denies the loss of the city.
"The fighting in Shusha continues, wait and trust our army," said Artsrun Hovhannisyan, the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, on Facebook.
At the same time, Yerevan confirmed that intense fighting is going on in Shusha and suggested that the battle for the strategically important city will most likely end today.
From the very beginning of the war, both sides constantly issued opposing information. However, judging by the video published by the Armenian side, the battles for the city are really going on.
The key to Karabakh
The city of Shusha is both an important strategic point and a symbol of Karabakh. The loss of this city can be a serious blow for Armenians. The old capital of Karabakh is located on a mountain above the new capital, Stepanakert, just a few kilometers from it, and the road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia passes through Shusha. The strategic importance of Shusha is obvious - if the city is taken under the control of Azerbaijan, the Armenian enclave will be cut off from the outside world, will fall into the so-called "cauldron", which can also be bombarded from above. It is for this reason that some try to defend it, while others try to take it under control.
It is interesting that during the first Karabakh conflict in 1992, the capture of Shusha and a little later the city of Lachin allowed the Armenian formations to save Stepanakert from constant shelling and take control of the road between Karabakh and Armenia, which predetermined the outcome of that war. The capture of Shusha was a great and symbolic victory for the Armenians, because it happened on the eve of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War. For Azerbaijanis, this was the biggest loss in that war.
In addition, Shusha occupies an important place in the national self-consciousness of Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Both nations consider the city a symbol and one of the cradles of their culture.
It is obvious that if Azerbaijan takes the city, it can become a turning point in the war.
