Command-staff exercises were held in the liberated territories in accordance with the training plan of the Land Forces, Report informs, citing Ministry of Defense.

Army Corps, formations and units involved in the exercises were brought into the state of various levels of combat readiness, and withdrawn to the designated areas. Control bodies were deployed to the area, and the activities were accomplished in interoperability with other types of troops’ units.
The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, and other leadership of the Ministry watched the progress of the command-staff exercises, and the activities of the units in the area.

Colonel General Hasanov attended the command and control post deployed in field conditions and inspected the organization of activities. The Minister heard the reports of the commanders and staff officers about the decisions made on the map and the model of the area during the operations.

It was noted that the main objective of the exercises held with considering combat experience gained in the Patriotic War and subsequent operations, as well as with the application of modern management methods in difficult terrain areas is to develop the knowledge, management and flexible decision-making skills of commanders and relevant officials.

Then, the final meeting of the exercises was held under the leadership of Colonel General Hasanov.

The Minister assessed the course of the exercises positively, brought to the attention of the meeting participants the tasks set to the Azerbaijani Army by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev.

The Minister of Defense gave specific instructions on proper fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, accomplishment of all the duties assigned to the Azerbaijani Army, as well as permanent readiness to suppress possible provocations immediately and decisively.

In the end, tasks were assigned to the relevant officials regarding the constant maintenance of combat readiness and the level of professionalism of military personnel, and the higher quality and intensive conduct of training and exercises.

One of the ammunition depots belonging to the 5th defense brigade of the Armenian armed forces located in the Aghdara direction was destroyed, according to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.

On September 19, the P-18 radar station belonging to the formations of the Armenian armed forces in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed, was destroyed by an accurate fire strike inflicted by the Azerbaijani Army units in the direction of the Khojavend district, Report informs, citing the Ministry of Defense.

For more than thirty years, the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples have become hostages of other people’s geopolitical games and manipulations, said Baku TV’s program in Armenian language, Report informs.

It was noted that despite the severe traumas of the war, both nations can live together in peace and harmony. There is an Armenian church in the very center of Baku, and ethnic Armenians live in Azerbaijan despite heavy wars. It was especially emphasized that “we have a historic chance to rebuild Karabakh together, to turn it into a prosperous, economically developed region, and most importantly, to ensure a happy future for our children and grandchildren.”

At the same time, the restoration of life and infrastructure in Karabakh was also discussed. It was emphasized that the separatists were not allowed to open the Lachin and Aghdam roads to the Karabakh Armenians under various pretexts and that the separatists were the ones to blame for the situation that worsened the situation of ordinary people.

As part of local anti-terrorist measures carried out in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, precision strikes by units of the Azerbaijani army destroyed regular long-term firing points and military facilities of the Armenian armed forces, Report informs referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Azerbaijani Army Units are precisely destroying combat positions, long-term firing points, combat equipment and military facilities of the Armenian armed forces formations in the direction of the Khojaly district and Girmizi Bazar, Report informs, citing Ministry of Defense.

FILE PHOTO: Poet and songwriter Nikolay Dobronravov ©  Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov

Nikolay Dobronravov wrote the words to numerous songs loved by Russians of all ages FILE PHOTO: Poet and songwriter Nikolay Dobronravov © Sputnik / Evgeny Biyatov Top stories RFK Jr. demands Secret Service protection after assassination scare Latest Top Stories Italian jet crashes and kills girl on the ground (VIDEO) New documents contradict Vatican claims on WWII Jew murders – media How tensions over Ukrainian grain split the EU EXPLAINER Ukrainian conscription officer reveals huge casualty rate Zelensky issues warning to EU states Global air travel booming – IATA South Korea to ban eating dogs – media .breaking-news[data-href=”Lyricist behind Moscow Olympics theme song dies at 94″] { display: none; }

Legendary Russian poet Nikolay Dobronravov, who wrote the lyrics for the theme song of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics and other many other hits, has died at the age of 94, his friends and colleagues announced on social media.

Dobronravov passed away at a hospital in Moscow early on Sunday after a lengthy illness, sources close to the poet told Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper.

The lyricist and his wife, composer Aleksandra Pakhmutova, 93, were hospitalized with Covid-19 in late 2020. They were discharged after a month, but the poet never fully recovered after the virus. His health kept deteriorating and he could barely walk in recent months, sources said.

The song “Goodbye, our affectionate Misha!,” co-written by Dobronravov and Pakhmutova, accompanied one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history. It was performed at the closing ceremony of the Moscow Olympics in 1980 as the giant inflatable figure of the Games’ mascot – a bear, named Misha – took to the skies from Luzhniki stadium. The live broadcast from the Soviet capital captured numerous locals and foreign guests in the stands shedding tears.

Dobronravov and Pakhmutova, who were married in 1956, wrote numerous songs together, which were performed by the country’s most popular singers and are well-known and loved by Russians of all ages. He also worked with other famous composers.

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The Russian cities of Yaroslavl, Vorkuta, and Magnitogorsk have each chosen one of Dobronravov’s songs as their official anthems.

Dobronravov’s death is “an irretrievable loss,” Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin wrote on his Telegram page as he offered condolences to the poet’s family.

His songs “have always given strength [to people], being with them in moments of sorrow and in joy,” he wrote.

The poet will be laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery in the Russian capital, Sobyanin said.

A lot famous Russian artists are buried at the cemetery, including writers Anton Chekov and Mikhail Bulgakov, as well as composers Dmitry Shostakovich and Sergey Prokofiev. (RT)

According to the training plan for the current year, training flights are underway in order to further increase the professionalism of the military pilots of the Azerbaijani Air Force and improve their flight skills, Report informs, citing the Ministry of Defense.

In accordance with the plan, after the delivery of safety rules to the crew, tasks on takeoff, landing, as well as difficult pilotage and the combat maneuvers at various altitudes at nighttime under limited visibility conditions and in the daytime along designated routes were accomplished.

All tasks set during training flights were accomplished with high professionalism.

The Air Defense Units of the Air Force conduct uninterrupted whole-day service, constantly observe Azerbaijan’s airspace and take relevant measures, Report informs, citing the Ministry of Defense.

According to the training plan for 2023, the Air Defense Units of the Air Force carried out combat firing.

During the fire exercises, combat crews successfully fulfilled the tasks on bringing the “Ildirim 8-ER” anti-aircraft missile system to the starting position and preparing it for combat use, as well as detecting and destroying a ballistic missile launched by an imaginary enemy.

The main attention during the shooting was paid to improving the military personnel’s skills in managing anti-aircraft missile systems capable of missile defense, improving interoperability between crews and further increasing the combat capability of units.

The necessary measures are continued in the comprehensive provision of the Azerbaijan Army Units, the organization of troops’ service, as well as the further improvement of the social and living conditions of the military personnel, the Ministry of Defense said, Report informs.

In the units stationed in the liberated territories, troops’ service and whole-day combat duty are organized in an intensive working mode in accordance with the daily routine.

The military personnel is informed about safety instructions and involved in regular classes which are held to maintain their combat and moral-psychological training at a high level. In leisure time, the servicemen are informed about the internal and external socio-political situation.

The military personnel is provided with seasonal clothing, and uninterrupted fresh and high-calorie hot meals.

Azerbaijan Army’s servicemen are ready and capable of suppressing whenever any possible provocation.

Under the 2023 training plan approved by Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Azerbaijan Air Force aircraft conduct training flights.

Report informs citing the Ministry of Defense that the pilots accomplish tasks of takeoff, landing, complex maneuvers at low and medium altitudes, determining the coordinates of the imaginary enemy’s land-based targets, aerial reconnaissance, as well as other activities according to the plan.

It should be noted that exercises focused on improving combat skills and increasing professionalism of military pilots are underway.

In accordance with the training plan approved by the Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, live-fire training classes were held with the Air Defense Units, Report informs, citing the Ministry of Defense.

During the training classes held to improve practical skills and increase the combat capability of the military personnel, combat firing was carried out.

The combat tasks on detecting and destroying the imaginary enemy’s air targets were successfully fulfilled by the use of portable anti-aircraft missile systems.

Training classes aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of servicemen, as well as maintaining a high level of combat training continue in various types of troops of the Azerbaijani Army.

According to the training plan for 2023, the training session held in one of the military units with the participation of a group of reservists ended, Report informs, citing the Defense Ministry.

During the training session, combat training exercises were held with the reservists, and they were taught the tactical and technical features of weapons and equipment, as well as the rules of proper use.

Also, reservists’ moral and psychological states were checked, and enlightening conversations in the spirit of loyalty to national and moral values, statehood, and patriotism were held.

After the training session, the reservists were sent to their places of residence accompanied by the representatives of the relevant state agency.

The only culprit for today’s humanitarian situation in Karabakh is the Armenian separatist regime, Azerbaijani Presidential Representative for Special Assignments Elchin Amirbayov said in an interview with DW, Report.

“The campaign that Armenia has now launched worldwide in order to denigrate Azerbaijan and to accuse us of all possible sins and to manipulate with the humanitarian hardships on the ground is a way is a tactical move which is aiming at consolidating the status quo on the ground, imitating their participation in the peace process and trying to put all the blame for the lack of progress on Azerbaijan while Azerbaijan in numerous occasions has proven its goodwill and its sincere desire to advance with the peace process because it was us who proposed to Armenia the draft of the peace agreement. It is us who proposed to talk about reopening of communication lines and delimitating the state border. It is also true that we view now the separatist entity in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan as the only responsible party in this humanitarian crisis,” he said.

Amirbayov noted that it is impossible to call Karabakh “blocked” when daily passage of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) vehicles, ambulances and other vehicles carrying Armenian residents of Karabakh and delivering all the necessary food is organized along the Lachin road.

Besides, Armenia and the separatists want to divert the attention of the international community from the main peace process, which they have brought to a dead end by politicizing the situation. Thus, their refusal to supply food via the Agdam-Khankandi road is proof that the situation is not humanitarian, but political.

According to the training plan and program for 2023, practical classes were held with the cadets of the Military Institute named after Heydar Aliyev, Report informs, citing the Ministry of Defense.

First, the cadets practiced accurate targeting rules in simulators.

Safety rules and shooting terms were delivered and various regulations were accomplished in the shooting camp.

The cadets of the military institute successfully accomplished the tasks on bringing the weapons for combat state, detecting and destroying imaginary enemy targets with fire.

In the classes, the main focus was on increasing the cadets’ skills in using weapons, as well as improving their practical and combat skills.

Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed a 1,000-year-old mummy in the latest discovery at an archaeological site located in a residential neighborhood of the country’s capital, Lima.

The remains were found alongside ceramic vessels, textiles and other objects in the Huaca Pucllana site in the middle of Lima’s affluent Miraflores district, the head of the team of archaeologists, Mirella Ganoza, told Reuters on Wednesday, Report informs.

“This is an adult individual in a sitting position with bent legs,” the expert said, noting that the mummy had long hair and a jaw that was nearly completely intact.

The uncovered mummy lived possibly as long as a millennium ago, at the beginning of the Ychsma culture that developed on the central coast of modern Peru during a period of social reorganization prior to the arrival of the Incas to the area, Ganoza said.

Mummies and ancient offerings have already been found in the Huaca Pucllana site, and experts see the site as a Pandora’s Box with much more to be found.

While best known for the mountain-top Inca royal retreat of Machu Picchu, Peru was home to various pre-Hispanic cultures that thrived in the centuries before the Inca empire rose to power, mainly along the country’s central coast and in the Andes.

Unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on September 6, 2023. ©  US Space Force

Washington has conducted a “routine” test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III Unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California on September 6, 2023. © US Space Force

The US Air Force has successfully test-fired a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The silo-launched missile was fired early on Wednesday from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The launch was described as a “routine” test, intended to “validate and verify the safety, security, effectiveness, and readiness of the weapon system,” according to US Air Force Global Strike Command.

“These test launches demonstrate the readiness of US nuclear forces and provide confidence in the lethality and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent,” Col. Bryan Titus, who directly commanded the launch, said in a statement.

Footage released by the US military shows the missile ejecting from its silo, protected by a heavy blast cover. The missile is then seen lifting off into the night sky.

Ahead of the launch, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the US had sent notification to the Hague Code of Conduct, as well as informing Russia under existing obligations.

The Vandenberg Space Force Base houses US Air Force Global Strike Command’s 576th Flight Test Squadron, which is currently the only dedicated ICMB test squadron in the country.

Minuteman III missiles entered service in 1970s and remain the ground-based staple of the US nuclear triad. Although they have been repeatedly modernized since their introduction, the Pentagon has for years been calling for the arsenal to be refurbished. The military has thus far failed to secure the necessary funding from US lawmakers, estimated at trillions of dollars. (RT)