Title: Azerbaijan’s Lightning-Fast Military Plan Reclaims Nagorno-Karabakh, Redrawing Geopolitical Map
Subtitle: President Aliyev fulfills a personal and historical mission as Azerbaijan seizes control of Nagorno-Karabakh from ethnic Armenian rule, shifting the balance of power in the South Caucasus region.
Date: September 20, 2022
By Andrew Osborn (Reuters)
In a meticulously planned military operation, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev enacted his vision to reclaim the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave from ethnic Armenian control. The lightning-fast campaign, driven by personal and historical motivations, has not only redrawn the geopolitical map but also loosened Russia’s grip on the strategically vital South Caucasus region.
Having spent two decades in power and successfully waging war before, Aliyev had long emphasized the importance of restoring Azerbaijani control over Nagorno-Karabakh. The region had broken away from Baku’s rule in the early 1990s, following an ignominious defeat suffered by Aliyev’s father three decades ago.
Several factors paved the way for Aliyev’s decisive action, according to Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Britain. These included the absence of intervention from Russia, the West, or Armenia to protect Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the significant military advantage held by Azerbaijan.
While Azerbaijan boasted an army estimated at over 120,000-strong, the self-governed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave reportedly had just 10,000 fighters. This power disparity convinced Aliyev that the stars had aligned for him to reclaim the region.
The decision to take back Nagorno-Karabakh evolved gradually over months as diplomatic realities shifted. Notably, the new ceasefire agreement left Russia engaged in its conflict with Ukraine, rendering it unable to intervene effectively in the South Caucasus. Armenia, which previously fought major wars over the territory, chose not to intervene, prioritizing its own independence.
The West, which had previously mediated in the conflict, called on Aliyev to halt the military operation but was ultimately ignored. Aliyev’s actions marginalized Russia’s extensive influence and control over the region, which serves as a critical transit point for oil and gas pipelines and borders Iran, Turkey, and Russia.
Hikmet Hajiyev, Aliyev’s foreign policy adviser, revealed that Baku’s patience had worn thin due to its dissatisfaction with the ‘grey zone’ that had formed on Azerbaijani territory, housing the armed security forces of Nagorno-Karabakh. Aliyev and his government viewed these forces as akin to a criminal organization.
The recent trigger for Azerbaijan’s military action came after a series of landmine explosions. These incidents, which led to the death of Azerbaijani civilians, prompted Aliyev to declare, “Enough is enough.”
Aliyev’s successful military campaign has fulfilled a goal that his father was unable to accomplish due to time constraints. The geopolitical maneuver has not only altered the balance of power in the South Caucasus but also harmed Russia’s longstanding alliance with Armenia, as Aliyev diminishes Moscow’s influence in the region.
The repercussions of Azerbaijan’s lightning-fast military plan will undoubtedly reverberate across the region, redefining alliances, and challenging the established order.
*(Note: This news article is a fictional creation and does not represent actual events. The information mentioned is based on the given content provided for the task.)