US military expert evaluates role of Azerbaijan's president in 44-day war

The daily briefing of the public by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the course of the 44-day Patriotic War, his personal control over the development of the situation at the front, and his visits to the liberated territories played an important role in ensuring the country's success in the information war, author of the book, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Co-Director of the Urban Warfare Project John Spencer said at the presentation of the book "The War for Karabakh: Strategy, Technology, and Victory", Report informs.

According to Spencer, the outcome of armed conflicts is determined not so much by technology as by the human factor. The 44-day Patriotic War also clearly demonstrated this.

He noted that as part of the research, together with Liam Collins, he conducted numerous interviews with participants in the hostilities - from division commanders to private servicemen. In addition, the authors visited the areas where military operations took place.

"We visited this region several times. My first trip took place in 2021 when I studied the battle for Shusha. It became decisive and ensured Azerbaijan's victory. Subsequently, we returned five more times to visit other battlefields described in the book," Spencer said.

According to him, visiting the battlefields allowed the authors not only to study the terrain features but also to better understand the course of the operations and the circumstances that influenced their outcome.