Baku, March 30, AZERTAC

Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has held an official meeting at the Central Command Post, the Ministry of Defense told AZERTAC.

An official meeting commenced with commemorating the memory of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Shehids (Martyrs), who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and victims of 31 March Genocide. Deputies of the Defense Minister, Commanders of types of troops (force), Chiefs of Main Departments, Departments of the Ministry, Commanders of military units participated in the meeting directly and via video teleconference.

The Minister of Defense delivered to the meeting participants the tasks assigned to the Azerbaijan Army by Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, and the views expressed by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Novruz holiday in Khankendi on March 18, regarding the combat capability of the Azerbaijan Army during the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation. He noted that it is an indicator of the high value given to the army.

At the meeting, the current operational situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional border was analyzed, tasks were set to the authorized on maintaining the combat readiness of the military units at a high level, and to improving the service-combat activity.

Colonel General Z. Hasanov emphasized the importance of further increasing the intensity of exercises and practical classes in accordance with real combat conditions with applying of newly adopted modern weapons, equipment and other combat means.

The Minister of Defense gave instructions on keeping issues of preserving the health of military personnel in the spotlight, studying the personal-psychological features of new recruits to be called up for active military service on April 1-30, 2024 by the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a sensitive approach to the process of their adaptation to military service, as well as on the departure of servicemen, who completed the military service.

It was highlighted that work on improving the social and living conditions of servicemen, as well as solving their concerns and problems continues thanks to the attention and care of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. As a clear example of this, it was emphasized that providing servicemen, who distinguished themselves by exemplary military service for 20 calendar years or more, with permanent residence apartments in order to ensure the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On measures to strengthen the social protection of servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan” dated December 28, 2011, significantly increased servicemen’s moral spirit.

The importance of regularly conveying the safety rules to the military personnel during daily service activities and the strict control over their observance, as well as paying attention to the climatic conditions during the usage of weapons, combat and special equipment, was emphasized.

Defense Minister set specific tasks for high-ranking officers to pay special attention to the organization of troops’ service and ideological work at a high level, the further improvement of servicemen’s social and living conditions, as well as the necessary measures for engineering and medical support.

At the end, Colonel General Z. Hasanov instructed on holding commemorative and educational events on 31 March – Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis.