President Aliyev hails army building process in Azerbaijan [UPDATED] [PHOTO]

By Azernews

By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan's President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev has hailed the army building process in Azerbaijan, saying that this is a priority for the government. He also said that Azerbaijan has military superiority.

Aliyev made this remark at the opening of the Defense Ministry's military unit in Mingachevir on June 25.

“Army building is a priority for us. This is natural, because we live in a state of war, and in this case, all issues related to the army are the main task”.

During the meeting with senior officials of the Defense Ministry, Supreme Commander-in-Chief was provided information on the new combat vehicles included in the air defence system.

It was noted that the construction of the military unit with a total area of more than 11 hectares began two years ago and has already been completed with high quality. Dormitory buildings have been built for both officers and soldiers. The canteen building has all the conditions for feeding soldiers. A medical centre and other ancillary rooms equipped with modern equipment have been established.

Aliyev said that the newly built military unit meets all high standards.

“In recent years, Azerbaijani standards have been applied in army building in our country, especially in the construction of military units, and these standards deserve the highest praise. There are many innovations, all opportunities have been created to provide a high level of service. Even air conditioners have been installed in the barracks, which shows that there is a lot of progress in this area. By my order, virtually all our military units, towns and military bases are being reconstructed.”

The president noted that according to the latest information, construction and reconstruction works have been almost completed in 90 per cent of the military units.

“I think that the remaining military units will be brought to this situation within a maximum of one and a half to two years. Because the service conditions of soldiers and officers increase their combat capability and, at the same time, allow them to perform any task”, he added.

The supreme commander-in-chief stressed that, this was another manifestation of the care shown by the Azerbaijani state to its army.

“I must also say that along with the improvement of the service conditions of the personnel, the household problems of the officers are also solved. Officers who have served in the army for 20 years are provided with flats by the state on my instructions, and this program is being implemented. This, of course, requires large funds, and we allocate these funds”, Aliyev said.

In this regard, he pointed out that so far, 1,700 officers have been covered by the program and provided with good flats. The president reminded that he recently ordered that the government provide flats to an additional 419 officers by the end of this year.

“Thus, to date, the maximum number of officers covered by this program has been provided. According to the latest information given to me, a little more than 200 officers are still on the waiting list. Their housing problems will also be solved”.

Aliyev emphasized that this is a very rare phenomenon in world practice.

“Here, Azerbaijan is also at the forefront, showing innovations. Because servicemen who serve the homeland faithfully and flawlessly must be provided with high security by the state. Housing is a very important issue in everyone's life, and we solve it. The care shown to our army does not end with these issues. The salaries of servicemen are regularly raised. In particular, I can say that distinguished servicemen are rewarded,” added the president.

Furthermore, touching upon the development of the army, Aliyev said that the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest 50 armies in the worldwide according to the reputable institutions that compile military rankings in the world.

“We have achieved this as a result of tireless work. Because in my capacity as a president, army building is in the first place”, he noted.

The president underlined that today, Azerbaijan is a country that relies on its own strength and does not depend on anyone.

“We live in a state of war, and at the same time, we see that today in the world, in the international arena, the factor of power comes to the forefrant. The norms of international law are grossly violated, they are not observed. Unfortunately, the principle of "those who are strong are right" prevails in international relations today. We see it, we observe it, and we must take steps accordingly. Because we have to take into account the real situation,” the president said.

Aliyev stressed that the violation of the international law should force each country to strengthen its military potential, and Azerbaijan has already started to do this.

As a result, today the Azerbaijani Army has a very high level of professionalism.

“At the same time, upon my instructions, the supply of weapons and equipment to our army is being organized in recent years. Billions of dollars have been spent for these purposes,” said Aliyev.

The president added that today the Azerbaijani Army is among the strongest in terms of technical equipment.

“Our armoured vehicles meet the highest standards. Our air defence system has been modernized, and this is the task of this military unit”, he noted.

Aliyev highlighted the fact that Azerbaijan has received the state-of-the-art anti-aircraft devices from several countries. He emphasized that the integration of these devices to each other in Azerbaijan is not such an easy issue.

“Because our air defence systems - it's not a secret, this information has already been made public - are made in Russia, Belarus, Israel, as well as Soviet-era devices, and they have also been modernized,” the president said.

Aliyev noted that these devices need to be integrated and placed in such a way that all the country strategic facilities are protected from the air. “Of course, it requires great professionalism and resources,” added he.

The president noted that Azerbaijan’s modern anti-aircraft devices enable to protect the country, including strategic facilities, and the Azerbaijani Army has strategic superiority in the frontline zone.

In addition, he underlined that the supply of the army with modern weapons and equipment will continue.

“At the same time, our combat aircraft have been modernized, and we have more than a hundred military and military-transport helicopters. This is our great potential. Unmanned aerial vehicles are manufactured by the highest level manufacturers.

The supreme commander-in-chief stressed that this production has also been provided in Azerbaijan. Regarding the national production, Aliyev said that by the presidential order, more than 1,300 types of military products are produced through the Ministry of Defense Industry, which was established 15 years ago.

The president noted that today not only does Azerbaijan provide itself with various military products, but also has increased its exports geography. He added that the country exports the military product to dozens of countries.

“Therefore, all these factors - the care of the army, officers, soldiers, the improvement of living conditions, service and the supply of our army with weapons and equipment, and, of course, the increase of combat capability, these are the main factors”, Aliyev said.

Emphasizing the importance of patriotism, the president said that ideological education must be organized at a high level in each military unit. In this regard, Aliyev instructed the senior military officials to pay special attention to the ideological state in all military units.

“Every soldier and officer should have a full impression of the history of our country - both ancient and modern”.

The supreme commander-in-chief said that the main factor is the combat capability.

“All the other factors that I mentioned have a purpose, and that is to increase combat capability. Necessary steps are being taken in this direction”.

Then, President Aliyev touched upon the successful military operations of the Azerbaijani Army in 2016 and 2018.

Thus, part of Fuzuli, Jabrayil and Aghdere regions were liberated from the occupation in 2016, and the Azerbaijani national flag was raised in those lands. In 2018, as a result of the successful Nakhchivan operation, the Azerbaijani Army liberated more than 10,000 hectares from the occupiers and reached the strategic heights, which allow the Azerbaijani Army to control and observe the road between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

“Therefore, additional steps must be taken to increase our combat capability so that we are ready to restore our territorial integrity at any moment. Our territorial integrity must and will be restored so that no one can doubt it. We must constantly monitor the geopolitical situation. We need to properly analyze the changing situation in the international arena and gather more friends in the international arena. Today, the number of countries friendly to Azerbaijan in the international arena is growing day by day”, Aliyev said.

It should be noted that during his visit to Mingachevir, Aliyev also inaugurated inaugurated thermal power station in Mingachevir after its reconstruction as well as a new military unit during his visit to the city on June 25, the president's official website has reported.

The 330 and 500 kilovolt open switchgears, 8 power blocks, Dispatcher Management Center, main and auxiliary areas, buildings and facilities of the “Azerbaijan” Thermal Power Station have been launched in Mingachevir after major overhaul.

President Aliyev has also attended the opening of the Museum of State Symbols in Mingachevir.