Baku: Azerbaijan marks May 9 as a Day of Victory over Fascism, commemorating 81 years since the triumph over German fascism, APA reports. The event is celebrated as an official state holiday, with the day designated as a non-working day across the country.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the victory marks the end of a conflict that began on September 1, 1939, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland under Operation Barbarossa, igniting World War II. On June 22, 1941, Germany's attack on the USSR included Azerbaijan, then part of the Soviet Union. The war concluded on May 9, 1945, with the symbolic lowering of the fascist flag over the Reichstag in Berlin and the raising of the Soviet flag.

During the war, 660,000 Azerbaijanis were involved, with Azerbaijani divisions fighting from the Caucasus to Berlin. Approximately 130 Azerbaijanis received the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 30 were awarded the Order of 'Glory', and 170,000 were honored with various orders and medals of the USSR.

The legacy of Azerbaijani heroes such as twice-Hero of the Soviet Union Hazi Aslanov and others, including Israfil Mammadov, Aslan Vezirov, Adil Guliyev, and Ziya Bunyadov, is celebrated for their bravery. Generals like Mahmud Abilov, Akim Abbasov, and Tarlan Aliyarbeyov are also remembered for their contributions.

Azerbaijani oil played a crucial role in the war effort. In 1941, Azerbaijan produced 23.5 million tonnes of oil, accounting for 71.4% of the USSR's total oil output. Overall, Azerbaijani oil workers contributed 75 million tonnes of oil, 22 million tonnes of gasoline, and other vital oil products to the Soviet war effort.