President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev once again spoke the truth that Moscow categorically refuses to accept. In a recent interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya TV channel, the head of state recalled an undeniable historical fact: in 1920, the Russian army—by then Bolshevik—invaded Azerbaijan and occupied the country, putting an end to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. A fact recorded in historical sources, yet one that provokes painful hysteria in Russia’s political and media space.
Instead of dialogue—howling and aggression. Instead of acknowledging the past—a desire to rewrite it and impose old schemes on neighbors under new banners. A telling example was the outburst of Kremlin propagandist and self-styled “historian” Yevgeny Spitsyn, who claimed that “without Russia there would be no Azerbaijan.” Another imperial mantra, sounding more like a threat than an opinion.
Russian experts, political commentators, and media mouthpieces once again reacted painfully to any mention of the truth about Russia’s colonial and aggressive policies in the 20th century. Why? Because the truth destroys the myth of Moscow’s “liberating mission.” Because recognizing the occupation is the first step toward recognizing guilt. And with that, modern Russia faces enormous problems—in history and in the present.
Yet ignoring facts will not work. And the louder the Kremlin tries to silence history, the more distinctly it resounds.
Commenting on the interview, Azerbaijani historian and political scientist Rizvan Huseynov told Minval Politika that the president’s statement was not only timely, but also entirely appropriate given the intensifying revanchist rhetoric in Russia. According to him, Moscow’s reaction to Aliyev’s words clearly showed that the “imperial disease” in Russian society not only persists but is progressing—especially in recent years.
“People often say: why raise painful issues, let’s forget and move on. But silence never makes problems disappear. History shows that since the collapse of the USSR, especially in the last decade, the rhetoric of a return to imperial forms of governance and thinking has taken deeper root in Russia—among security services, politicians, and ordinary citizens alike,” Huseynov stressed.
In his view, for Azerbaijan—as a neighbor and as a country that already endured occupation and fought for independence—it is vital to recognize and openly discuss such matters. He emphasized that not only experts, but society as a whole must understand whom they are dealing with:
“Russia is a nuclear power, the largest country in the world, and if ideas of revanchism spread within its society, Azerbaijan must grasp the risks and shape its policy accordingly,” the expert explained.
The historian also reminded that every country, including the former Soviet republics, has the right to its own historical memory and state identity. Azerbaijan is no exception.
“The Azerbaijani people possess a unique history of statehood. We created our own states in the Middle Ages and in modern times. And the Democratic Republic of 1918 became a symbol of modern independence, which was taken from us by the Bolsheviks. Then, in 1920, our independence was literally drowned in blood and we were again pulled into their imperial project. If today we speak of this once more, it is not to provoke, but to remind at what price we regained independence in 1991,” Huseynov noted.
According to him, victory in the Karabakh war marked the final stage of this struggle. And today, more than ever, Azerbaijani society understands clearly: independence is not a gift, but the result of sacrifice, struggle, and historical memory.
“We will never forget those who took our independence away. Those who enabled occupation cannot claim moral superiority. And Russia’s current attempts to build something akin to the USSR or an imperial union are doomed,” he declared.
Huseynov also underlined that Azerbaijan is shaping its policy in a completely different, far more modern and civilized direction:
“We have our allies, our partners. We are building a new type of Eurasian space—from Central Asia and China to Turkey and Europe. A cultural, economic, and transit space based on mutually beneficial cooperation. Partners join us who do not necessarily border us and are not always part of the Turkic world, but they are committed to equal cooperation, not domination. This is our conscious and principled choice, fundamentally different from what Russia seeks to impose. While Azerbaijan and its partners build a model of equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, Moscow continues to pursue domination and hegemony over its neighbors—a path that has repeatedly led it to historical dead ends,” the historian explained.
In conclusion, Huseynov stressed that those Russian experts and journalists who continue to serve the dead imperial project harm not only their neighbors but also their own country:
“Their policy is not merely a mistake. It is historical blindness, which more than once has brought catastrophe upon Russia itself. And it seems no lessons have been learned there,” he summed up.
Nurlana Maharramova
