Azerbaijan celebrates Armed Forces Day with military parades across country VIDEO

Today, June 26, military parades are taking place on the central streets, squares, and avenues of Baku, Ganja, Khankendi, and Lachin to mark the 107th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Marches in the capital Baku are accompanied by military orchestras and draw enthusiastic attention from residents and passersby, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Ministry of Defence. 

Live coverage of the Armed Forces Day parade in Baku, June 26

Festivities are also underway in Khankendi, where a ceremonial parade began at Victory Square and will conclude at the city entrance. The Azerbaijani Army’s march, accompanied by a military band, has attracted widespread interest from local residents, according to local media sources.

The event in Khankendi is being observed by representatives of the Restoration, Construction and Management Service in Khankendi, as well as officials from the Aghdara and Khojaly districts, employees of state and private institutions, and law enforcement personnel.

In Ganja, a solemn military parade is also in progress, featuring Azerbaijani servicemen marching through the city to commemorate the 107th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan Armed Forces Day, celebrated annually on June 26, marks a pivotal moment in the country’s modern military history. It commemorates the establishment of the Azerbaijani National Army by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) on June 26, 1918—a key step toward forming an independent and self-reliant national defence structure during the country’s brief period of independence before Sovietization in 1920.

After Azerbaijan regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the newly formed state reasserted its military traditions. In 1998, then-President Heydar Aliyev signed a decree officially designating June 26 as the Day of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Since then, it has served both as a celebration of the country’s military capabilities and a reminder of the sacrifices made to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

By Khagan Isayev