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How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

Black January, or the Bloody January, is the massacre carried out by the Soviet Army in 1990 when it entered Baku, the capital of the Azerbaijan SSR. This event, which took place on the night of January 19-20, is considered a turning point on the road to the independence of the Azerbaijani people.

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How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The root cause of the massacre was the Armenian Soviet Republic's territorial claims on Azerbaijani lands.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The Azerbaijani people reacted strongly against the increasing territorial demands of the Armenians and organized marches with slogans of 'Armenians Out'.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

These events were met with an expulsion targeting Azerbaijanis in Armenia. Wanting to show their reaction to what was happening, Azerbaijanis began organizing protest marches in Baku on January 13, 1990.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The Soviet Army entered Baku on January 20 to suppress the protests and killed 143 people.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The Soviets carried out this intervention under the pretext of protecting Armenians. However, the Azerbaijani people met the harsh reaction of the Soviet Union with great anger.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

With this intervention, the Soviet administration fueled nationalist movements and demands for independence. This event triggered a massive rejection of Soviet rule in Azerbaijan, accelerating the collapse of the Soviet Union.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

In the late 1980s, Armenians had increased their activities to annex Azerbaijan's Karabakh region to their own territory.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

In December 1989, the Armenian Soviet Republic decided to annex Karabakh to Armenia.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

Azerbaijanis reacted to this by organizing large rallies in Baku. The Soviet administration watched this situation with concern and decided to send troops to Baku. The Azerbaijani people continued their protests by blocking the entrance roads to the city.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

On January 19, 1990, Soviet intelligence blew up the power source of Azerbaijani television. On the evening of the same day, a 26,000-strong Soviet army entered Baku with armored vehicles.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

Soviet soldiers, who opened fire on civilians, crushed the people with tanks and armored vehicles, and fired on ambulances and buses. That night, 130 civilians lost their lives. The Soviet army also carried out interventions in provinces where incidents occurred, such as Neftchala and Lankaran.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

In total, 150 Azerbaijani civilians lost their lives, 744 people were injured, and 400 people were detained.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The Soviet administration declared a state of emergency in Baku and took control of the city. However, the Azerbaijani people poured into the streets again to commemorate their martyrs.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The martyrs were buried in the same area as the Azerbaijanis who lost their lives in the Armenian attacks on March 31, 1918. Approximately 1 million people attended the funeral ceremony.
How did the road to Azerbaijan's independence begin? 'Black January Massacre'

The Black January Massacre completely destroyed the Azerbaijani people's trust in the Soviet administration. This event accelerated the process leading to Azerbaijan's independence and was added to the chain of nationalist uprisings that played a decisive role in the collapse of the Soviet Union.