During today’s hearing at the Baku Military Court, a video was presented featuring former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan delivering a speech at a meeting with members of the "Yerkrapa" terrorist organization on July 23, 1993.

Axar.az reports that in the footage, Levon Ter-Petrosyan talks about the intentions, objectives, and reasons behind the Armenian armed forces’ occupation of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territories.

The video shows Levon Ter-Petrosyan expressing satisfaction with what he called "historic victories" and recalling that until 1988, there were 170,000 Azerbaijanis living in Armenia:

“Some people criticize, ‘What was the point of starting the Karabakh movement? So much blood was shed, so many people died over five years, but no results were achieved," he said. “Even at that time, the Armenian government... Now, opposition members who did not participate in those operations and other parties are trying to undermine our activities.

Moreover, they say, ‘What was the point of the Armenian movement shouting “miatsum, miatsum” (unification) back then?’ Now they avoid recognizing Karabakh. Their position hasn’t changed. They argue that even if the movement hadn’t started in 1988, the Soviet Union would have collapsed in 1991 anyway, and we would have gained independence regardless. But the point is, if we hadn’t begun our activities in 1988, we wouldn’t have had this three-year experience by 1991, and as a result, not only Karabakh but even Armenia itself wouldn’t have been as prepared. In fact, Karabakh wouldn’t have existed.”

In the video presented at the court, the former president of Armenia said:

“First of all, thanks to this movement, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh resolved an issue that the Armenian people had been unable to solve for 600 years. Armenia and Karabakh were completely cleansed of other peoples. This is a 600-year-old issue, and the Armenian people will feel its significance for the next 600 years. Just imagine, if today those 170,000 people from other ethnicities who lived here until 1988 were still residing in Armenia, we wouldn’t have a state today. We wouldn’t have been able to protect our northern regions or the Sevan (Goyca) region.

Don’t forget—let me remind you—that Azerbaijanis made up the majority in the Vardenis (Basarkecar), Masis (Zangibasar), and Amasia regions, and also constituted a significant portion of the population in the Zangezur region. That problem is now resolved. We solved it with our movement. It became possible through our people’s national liberation struggle, the Armenian national movement, its military wing, our self-defense units, and the local Karabakh detachments. The same goes for Karabakh. Today, the entire territory of Karabakh—along with a larger area—is in Armenian hands.”

In the footage, Levon Ter-Petrosyan says: “…Finally, I must mention one more point: I note that, as the crown of all our victories, our forces entered Aghdam last night and this morning.”

It should be noted that the trial of citizens of the Republic of Armenia—accused of numerous crimes including crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, preparing and waging a war of aggression, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, the violent seizure and retention of power, and other serious offenses committed as a result of Armenia’s military aggression—continues.