Every year on May 9, millions of people commemorate Victory Day - the defeat of fascism in World War II, achieved at the cost of more than 20 million lives. For Azerbaijan, this date is not merely a historical symbol, but a reminder of the enormous sacrifices and strategic contributions made by the Azerbaijani people both on the battlefield and far behind the front lines.

From the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945), the Azerbaijani people mobilized all their resources for the front. Every household, factory, and workplace became part of the wartime effort. Citizens donated immense sums to the Defense Fund - 15 kilograms of gold, 952 kilograms of silver, and 320 million rubles - all from personal savings. Industries redirected their production lines to manufacture military equipment, including Katyusha rockets, Shpagin submachine guns, and Yak-3 fighter planes. In total, Azerbaijani factories produced 130 types of weapons and ammunition crucial to success.

Yet, Azerbaijan’s most significant contribution was not material wealth or weapons production, but oil.

During World War II, Azerbaijan supplied more than 70% of the oil, 80% of the gasoline, and 90% of the motor lubricants used by the Soviet Union. The oil fields of Baku, tirelessly operated by Azerbaijani workers under extreme wartime conditions, literally kept the Soviet tanks, aircraft, and machinery running. The introduction of high-octane aviation fuel - first produced in Baku during the war - became a turning point that allowed to achieve air superiority in key battles.

In his study "The Role of Azerbaijan in the Victory Over Fascism in the Great Patriotic War," Baku State University lecturer and Doctor of Philosophy in........

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