January 20 "Bloody January"

The January 20 events, also known as Black January, refer to the tragic events that occurred on the night of January 19-20, 1990, in Baku and other regions of Azerbaijan. These events were a result of the Soviet Union's military intervention to suppress the demands of the Azerbaijani people for independence and sovereignty.

In January 1990, mass demonstrations erupted in various cities of Azerbaijan, particularly in Baku. The people were protesting against Armenia's territorial claims on Azerbaijan, the demand for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, and the unjust policies of the Soviet authorities. In response, the Soviet army entered Baku on the night of January 20, carrying out a brutal massacre. Hundreds of people were killed, injured, or went missing during this night.

The January 20 events became a turning point in the Azerbaijani people's struggle for independence and contributed to the acceleration of the Soviet Union's collapse. Today, the events of January 20 are commemorated in Azerbaijan as the "National Day of Mourning", with annual tributes paid to the victims of this tragedy.