Today, Azerbaijan commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the 20th January tragedy.

January 20, 1990, is a day which went down in the history of Azerbaijan`s fight for independence and territorial integrity.

The Jan. 20, 1990 entrance of the Soviet army forces into Baku, to suppress the masses, resulted in unprecedented tragedy in Azerbaijan. The protests were held against the USSR-supported Armenia`s aggressive actions, made upon territorial claims towards Azerbaijan.

Valiant sons and daughters of Azerbaijan put the country`s freedom, honour and dignity above everything else, sacrificed their lives and became shahids.

The tragedy of Jan. 20 brought huge losses and the death of innocent people. But it also demonstrated the spirit and pride of the Azerbaijani nation, which couldn`t stand the betrayal policy of the criminal empire led by Mikhail Gorbachev.

Azerbaijani people gained the independence they have been dreaming of, and the country achieved sovereignty.

Despite that many years have passed since those bloody days, the Azerbaijani nation remembers the dreadful night that took many innocent lives, and marks the anniversary of the January 20 tragedy every year.

The events of January 20 are immortalized in the vital memory of the Azerbaijani nation as a Day of Nationwide Sorrow.