On the Distinguished Visitors Day held during the “Fraternal Fist” exercises, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev and the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, via a telephone call congratulated the military personnel of both fraternal countries participating in the exercises, according to the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry.

In accordance with the combat training plan of Azerbaijan’s Land Forces for 2023, practical shooting exercises were performed with the use of small arms and sniper rifles, Report informs referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The military personnel was informed about the safety rules and classes on improving their theoretical knowledge were held before the shooting.

At the training grounds, the servicemen, having familiarized themselves with the shooting conditions, successfully fulfilled the tasks of bringing weapons into the state of combat readiness, as well as detecting and destroying the targets of an imaginary enemy.

During practical shooting exercises conducted in field conditions, the main attention was paid to improving the ability of military personnel to destroy targets with accurate fire by properly observing the rules of aiming.

In accordance with the combat training plan for 2023, theoretical training classes of the new training period are held in the types of troops, Army Corps, formations, and military units, as well as special educational institutions of the Azerbaijan Army, Report informs, citing MoD.

During the training classes, servicemen are informed about their duties and tasks, the features of weapons and equipment, as well as the rules for their effective use, and safety regulations.

Activities on inspecting the state of combat readiness will be carried out in the military units of the Azerbaijan Army to maintain the troops’ combat readiness at a constant high level during the new training period. After being put on alert, the units will withdraw from the points of permanent deployment and move to the training centers and combined arms ranges.

The 9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 1st Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting are underway at Gulustan Palace in Baku.

An Azerbaijani was injured in a road accident in Turkiye.

Report informs, citing Anadolu, that a bus crashed into people standing in the parking lot and then into a minibus.

As a result of the accident, 51-year-old Hikmet Kaya died, and Azerbaijani Ahmed Rzayev and several others were seriously injured.

The driver of the bus was detained.

Armenia, having refused Russia to host the CSTO mission, rushed to Europe for help to increase the composition and possible coverage of the temporary EU mission, which is located on the provisional border with Azerbaijan, Director of the Report News Agency Fuad Huseynaliyev told Baku TV, commenting on the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on a possible plan to deploy a mission of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on the provisional Armenia-Azerbaijan border, Report informs.

“Lavrov wants to show that Russia remains committed to protecting Armenia both in allied relations and within the CSTO. Here, it is not about Armenia or its consent, but about the consent of the EU,” Fuad Huseynaliyev said.

He stressed that Lavrov’s proposal to deploy a CSTO mission on the provisional Armenia-Azerbaijan border, in fact, lost any possibility of implementation, because the EU “will not allow Russian observers or the CSTO mission to be nearby, in which there would actually be no representatives of other countries except Russia itself.”

“At maximum, for every 50 observers, there would be 1-2 representatives from other CSTO member countries,” Huseynaliyev said, adding that Lavrov’s proposal was not feasible due to Russia’s complicated relationship with the West.

In order to organize service and combat activities in any weather condition, the necessary activities are being carried out in the military units of the Azerbaijani Army stationed in difficult and mountainous areas, Report informs, citing the Defense Ministry.

As a result of the interaction of the Engineering Troops with other state structures, a total of up to 3,600 km of roads in the direction of Kalbajar, Lachin, and Dashkasan districts were cleared from snow cover throughout January 2023 to maintain the evacuation roads in constant working order, as well as ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of military vehicle convoys.

Engineering support measures continue in the liberated territories according to the plan.

In accordance with the combat training plan of the Land Forces for 2023, tactical-special training continues in the Operations Commando units, Report informs, citing the Defense Ministry.

In conditions close to real combat, commandos work out by laying a scout trail, overcoming an obstacle course, and other actions.

The tasks of surrounding and neutralizing an imaginary enemy’s sabotage group, resisting in shelters and human settlements, are also successfully fulfilled.

During the training held with the operations commando units, the main attention is paid to the further improvement of the servicemen’s individual abilities and combat skills.

In accordance with the plan approved by the Minister of Defense, combat training classes are conducted with engineering units, Report informs, citing the ministry.
According to the plan, engineering units fulfill tasks for engineering support of combat operations in a difficult operational situation.

During the training classes held with the participation of specialists from other government agencies, the main attention is paid to the further improvement of the professional level and combat readiness skills of servicemen providing engineering support, as well as their abilities in the effective use of modern engineering machinery and equipment adopted into the armament.

The military personnel involved in the training classes practically fulfill the tasks of detecting and neutralizing mines and unexploded ordnance, passing water obstacles by launching a pontoon bridge, opening passages in minefields in various ways, overcoming obstacles, and other tasks.

The training classes, conducted to further improve the combat readiness of the military personnel of the Azerbaijan Army’s Engineering Units, continue.

The Ukrainian channel ‘Ukraine Now’ has prepared an article on the process of demining the liberated Azerbaijani territories, Report informs.

The report of a Ukrainian journalist notes that despite the work of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), civilians are periodically blown up by mines laid by Armenia during the occupation of these territories. So, since November 2020, about 300 Azerbaijanis have been killed or seriously injured as a result of mine explosions.

“The size of the mine-contaminated territory is comparable in area to a country like Qatar. It may take several decades to clear these territories,” reads the article.

The Ukrainian journalist also reminded that Armenia provided the Azerbaijanis with landmine maps, which are only 25% accurate.

In pursuance of the execution of the relevant Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev “On the conscription of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan for active military service for the period from January 1 to 30, 2023” the admission of young soldiers to training military units of the Azerbaijan Army continues.

Report informs, citing the Ministry of Defense, that after being registered at the military units’ reception points conscripts, who recently entered military service, are re-examined by the military medical commission at medical points, and fully provided with seasonal military uniforms and other types of supplies.

Special attention is paid to the nutrition of military personnel. Delicious and high-quality dishes are cooked in soldiers’ canteens by following sanitary and hygienic rules.

Conscripts are provided with detailed information about the features of military service, the military unit in which they will serve, daily routine, and safety rules, also their psychological state is studied by carrying on enlightening and private conversations.

In accordance with the training plan, training classes are being held with young soldiers. During the training classes, young soldiers are taught the relevant requirements of legislation and military regulations, the rules of military discipline, as well as elements of the drill, physical and fire training.

The unhindered movement of three vehicles belonging to Russian peacekeepers was ensured on the Khankandi-Lachin road again.

According to a Report correspondent working at the site of the protests, one passenger car and two trucks moved from Lachin towards Khankandi.

There were 26 civilians of Armenian nationality in the vehicles, including 20 teens – participants of sports competitions in Armenia.

It is yet another proof that the Lachin road is open for humanitarian purposes.

The Issyk-Kul lake in northern Kyrgyzstan froze over due to extreme cold temperatures on Saturday.

Report informs via foreign media that Issyk-Kul means “warm lake” in Kyrgyz. The name was given because the water never freezes due to the lake’s depth and natural warmth of water.

The local who talked to Reuters said he and his neighbours had never seen the lake freeze.

The lake froze over during extreme cold weather in northern Kyrgyzstan, with the temperature at -30C (-22F) on Saturday.

Issyk-Kul is the seventh-deepest lake in the world, the tenth-largest by volume and the second-largest saline lake after the Caspian Sea.

On January 12, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, met with a delegation led by the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Italy, Guido Crosetto, Report informs, citing the Defense Ministry.

First, a solemn welcoming ceremony was held at the Ministry of Defense. The defense ministers of both countries passed along the guard of honor, and the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Italy were performed.

Minister Crosetto signed the “Book of Honor” in accordance with the protocol. Then Colonel General Zakir Hasanov welcomed the guests and expressed satisfaction to see them in Azerbaijan.

The Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan informed the delegation about the military-political situation that had arisen in the region after the Patriotic War.

It was emphasized that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy in the field of military education, as well as within the framework of NATO, continues rapidly, and these relations are highly valued.

Colonel General Hasanov noted that this visit is the beginning of a new stage of development in the field of Azerbaijan-Italy military cooperation.

The Italian Minister, in turn, expressed gratitude for the hospitality and highlighted the importance of developing military cooperation between the two countries.
The significance of mutual visits in the development of relations between the countries based on strategic partnership was emphasized.

During the meeting, the further expansion of cooperation between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Italy in the military, military-technical, and military-educational spheres, as well as other issues of mutual interest, were discussed.

In the end, the defense ministers of both countries signed a protocol of intent on cooperation in the field of training and education.