August 26 holds special significance as it marks the anniversary of the transfer of Lachin City under Azerbaijani control.
On August 26, 2022, the Azerbaijani Army established its presence in Lachin City, also bringing the villages of Zabukh and Sus under its jurisdiction. The transfer of the Lachin region to Azerbaijan, as outlined in the tripartite declaration following the Victory in the Patriotic War, occurred on December 1, 2020. However, due to the Lachin corridor passing through the city of Lachin, it remained temporarily under the oversight of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.
Per the provisions of the Tripartite Statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia on November 10, 2020, agreements were set to be reached within three years regarding the construction of an alternative route to the Lachin corridor. Azerbaijan expeditiously finalized these agreements, confirmed the new road's route with the Russian side, and promptly initiated construction. Remarkably, in just one year and eight months, the construction of the alternative road reached completion.
Consequently, on August 26, the Azerbaijani Army took full control of Lachin City, along with the villages of Zabukh and Sus. Worth noting is that on July 31, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree establishing city days in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In accordance with this decree, August 26 was designated as Lachin City Day.