1991 Azerbaijani Mil Mi-8 shootdown
Encyclopedia
The 1991 Azerbaijan MI-8 helicopter shootdown occurred on November 20, 1991, when an Azerbaijan
i helicopter
MI-8
military helicopter
, carrying peacekeeping mission team consisting of observers from Russia, Kazakhstan
, government officials from Azerbaijan and several journalists, was shot down by Armenian
military forces near the Karakend village of Khojavend district in Nagorno-Karabakh
, Azerbaijan. All 22 people (19 passengers and 3 crew) on board were killed in the crash.
initiated by Boris Yeltsin
and Nursultan Nazarbayev
in the Russian city of Zheleznovodsk
for peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and their subsequent shuttle diplomacy visit to the region on September, 1991, officials from Russia and Kazakhstan were placed in NKAO for an observation mission. On the eve of the crash, the Armenian side refused to continue the peace talks with Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan re-opened the natural gas supply to Armenia which it ceased on November 4. The team of observers along with representatives of Azerbaijani government were to fly from Agdam
to Khojavend due to rising tension in the district.
List of victims
claimed the helicopter flew into a fog and crashed into a hill. On November 21, the chairman of the crash investigation committee announced over TV that the helicopter was shot at by large caliber
weapons and the weapons and video equipment was stolen from the site of the incident. At 6:30 PM, the same day, the deputy Chief of Command of Internal Troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs
of USSR, Vyacheslav Ponomarev left for Agdam. The Interior Ministry officials declared they would not pull out the internal troops detachments out of the district due to escalation of the conflict. The investigation committee was also to determine where the victims would be buried. However, because the area of the crash was soon captured by Armenian militants, the investigation was suspended and no one was indicted.
and ceasing all negotiations with Armenia. On November 27, the Supreme Soviet voted in favor of abolishing the autonomous status of NKAO
and established direct rule over it. It also officially changed the name of Stepanakert to its pre-Soviet name Khankendi and re-arranged administrative division of the rayons in Nagorno-Karabakh area.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
MI-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
military helicopter
Military helicopter
A military helicopter is a helicopter that is either specifically built or converted for use by military forces. A military helicopter's mission is a function of its design or conversion...
, carrying peacekeeping mission team consisting of observers from Russia, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, government officials from Azerbaijan and several journalists, was shot down by Armenian
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...
military forces near the Karakend village of Khojavend district in Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
, Azerbaijan. All 22 people (19 passengers and 3 crew) on board were killed in the crash.
Overview
In accordance with Zheleznovodsk communiqueZheleznovodsk Communiqué
The Zheleznovodsk Communiqué, also known as the Zheleznovodsk Declaration or Zheleznovodsk Accords, is the joint peace communiqué mediated by Russian President, Boris Yeltsin and Kazakhstan President, Nursultan Nazarbayev in Zheleznovodsk, Russia on September 23, 1991 with an intention to end the...
initiated by Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
and Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union...
in the Russian city of Zheleznovodsk
Zheleznovodsk
Zheleznovodsk is a town in Stavropol Krai, Russia. Population: The name of the town literally means iron-water-place, as the mineral waters springing from the earth in Zheleznovodsk were believed to have high content of iron. Zheleznovodsk, along with Pyatigorsk, Yessentuki, Kislovodsk, and...
for peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and their subsequent shuttle diplomacy visit to the region on September, 1991, officials from Russia and Kazakhstan were placed in NKAO for an observation mission. On the eve of the crash, the Armenian side refused to continue the peace talks with Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan re-opened the natural gas supply to Armenia which it ceased on November 4. The team of observers along with representatives of Azerbaijani government were to fly from Agdam
Agdam
Agdam or Ağdam or Aghdam may refer to:*Agdam city, Azerbaijan*Agdam Rayon, Azerbaijan*Ağdam, Khojavend, Azerbaijan*Ağdam, Tovuz, Azerbaijan...
to Khojavend due to rising tension in the district.
Shootdown
Helicopter MI-8 with the peacekeeping team departed from Agdam with 22 people on board and was shot down en route as a result of an Armenian rocket attack, killing everyone on board. The attack on the helicopter disrupted the ongoing peace talks.List of victims
| Full name | Position |
|---|---|
| Tofig Ismayilov Kazim oglu Tofig Ismayilov Tofig Ismayilov Kazym oglu was the first Secretary of State of Azerbaijan.He was killed in a helicopter which was shot down by Armenian forces near the Karakend village of Khojavend district in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan... |
Secretary of State Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Azerbaijan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan is a Cabinet-level governmental agency in Azerbaijan Republic in charge of conducting and designing Azerbaijani Foreign policy.- History :... , Azerbaijan |
| Ismat Gayibov Ismayil oglu Ismat Gayibov Ismat Ismayil oglu Gayibov was the Public Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan.He was killed in a helicopter which was shot down by Armenian forces near the Karakend village of Khojavend district in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. There were no survivors of the crash.However, Gayibov's body was not... |
Public Prosecutor General, Azerbaijan |
| Mahammad Asadov Nabi oglu Mahammad Asadov Mahammad Asadov Nabi oglu in Azerbaijan) was the State Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan and Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic.-Early years:... , |
Minister of Internal Affairs, State Advisor, Azerbaijan |
| Zulfi Hajiyev Saleh oglu Zulfi Hajiyev Zulfi Hajiyev Saleh oglu was Member of Azerbaijani Parliament and Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan until his death on November 20, 1991.-Early years:Hajiyev was born in Bol’shaya Mazra village of Armenia in 1935... |
Deputy Prime Minister Prime Minister of Azerbaijan The Prime Minister of Azerbaijan is the head of government of Azerbaijan. The current prime minister is Artur Rasizade.-Prime Ministers:* Fath Ali Khan Khoyski * Nasib Yusifbeyli... , Azerbaijan |
| Vagif Jafarov Jafar oglu | Member of Parliament National Assembly of Azerbaijan The National Assembly , also transliterated as Milli Majlis is the legislative branch of government in Azerbaijan. The unicameral National Assembly has 125 deputies: previously 100 members were elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies and 25 were members elected by proportional... , Azerbaijan |
| Vali Mammadov Huseyn oglu | Member of Parliament, Azerbaijan |
| Osman Mirzayev Mirza Huseyn oglu Osman Mirzayev Osman Mirzayev was a well-known journalist, writer and publicist in Azerbaijan. Author of books Our names, We live once, Eagle flight, Lake and a drop, and many articles, actual for his period. One of founders of journalism in Soviet Azerbaijan... |
Head of Presidential Administration, journalist, Azerbaijan |
| Gurban Namazaliyev Huseyn oglu | Deputy Prime Minister of Amelioration and Water Management Water management Water management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. In an ideal world. water management planning has regard to all the competing demands for water and seeks to allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all uses and demands... , Azerbaijan |
| Igor Aleksandrovich Plavski | Public Prosecutor of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was an autonomous oblast within the borders of the Azerbaijan SSR, mostly inhabited by ethnic Armenians and created on July 7, 1923. According to Karl R. DeRouen it was created as an enclave so that a narrow strip of land would separate it from Armenia proper.... (NKAO), Azerbaijan |
| Vladimir Vladimirovich Kovalyov | Head of Ministry of Internal Affairs of NKAO, Azerbaijan |
| Sergey Semyonovich Ivanov | Head of department of National Security Ministry, NKAO, Azerbaijan |
| Nikolay Vladimirovich Jinkin | Commandant Commandant Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations... for Emergency Situations of NKAO, Azerbaijan |
| Sanlal Dasumovich Serikov | Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Kazakhstan |
| Mikhail Dmitriyevich Lukashov | MVD, Major General Major General Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general... , Russia |
| Oleg Nikolayevich Kocherev | MVD, Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence... , Russia |
| Rafig Mammadov Mammad oglu | Aide to Secretary of State, Azerbaijan |
| Ali Mustafayev Mustafa oglu Ali Mustafayev Ali Mustafayev Mustafa oglu was an Azerbaijani journalist and reporter during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.-Early years:... |
Journalist, Azerbaijani State TV AzTV AzTV, or Azeri TeleVision , is the national broadcaster for Azerbaijan. AzTV was declined active membership of the European Broadcasting Union since the channel was not independent enough from the ruling government.... |
| Arif Huseynzadeh Ismail oglu | Lights technician, Azerbaijani State TV |
| Fakhraddin Shahbazov Ibrahim oglu | Cameraman, Azerbaijani State TV |
| Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Kotov | Commander of helicopter crew |
| Gennadiy Vladimirovich Domov | Member of the helicopter crew |
| Dmitry Borisovich Yarovenko | Member of the helicopter crew |
Investigation
Initial reports by central state agency TASSTelegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union , was the central agency for collection and distribution of internal and international news for all Soviet newspapers, radio and television stations...
claimed the helicopter flew into a fog and crashed into a hill. On November 21, the chairman of the crash investigation committee announced over TV that the helicopter was shot at by large caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
weapons and the weapons and video equipment was stolen from the site of the incident. At 6:30 PM, the same day, the deputy Chief of Command of Internal Troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs
Internal Troops
The Internal Troops, full name Internal Troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs ; alternatively translated as "Interior " is a paramilitary gendarmerie-like force in the now-defunct Soviet Union and its successor countries, particularly, in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan...
of USSR, Vyacheslav Ponomarev left for Agdam. The Interior Ministry officials declared they would not pull out the internal troops detachments out of the district due to escalation of the conflict. The investigation committee was also to determine where the victims would be buried. However, because the area of the crash was soon captured by Armenian militants, the investigation was suspended and no one was indicted.
Aftermath
After the public burial of the Azerbaijani victims in Baku on November 22, demonstrations began. The protestors demanded the Supreme Soviet and the chairman of Communist Party of Azerbaijan, Ayaz Mutalibov, to establish authority in Karabakh or resign from office. As a result, the Supreme Soviet called a special session on November 26 requesting to impose a martial law in the republic, withdrawing cadets and officers of Azerbaijani ethnicity from Soviet ArmySoviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
and ceasing all negotiations with Armenia. On November 27, the Supreme Soviet voted in favor of abolishing the autonomous status of NKAO
Law on Abolishment of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
Law on Abolishment of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast is the Resolution No. 279-XII passed by the National Assembly of Azerbaijan and signed into law by the President of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutalibov on November 26, 1991.-History:...
and established direct rule over it. It also officially changed the name of Stepanakert to its pre-Soviet name Khankendi and re-arranged administrative division of the rayons in Nagorno-Karabakh area.