Shahin Musayev Kheyreddin oglu (Azerbaijani: Şahin Musayev Xeyrəddin oğlu) was the deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Chief of Staff, and Acting Minister within a few weeks in January – February (unspecified), 1992.[2]

Shahin Musayev
Şahin Musayev
Acting Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan
In office
February 17, 1992 – February 24, 1992
PresidentAyaz Mutalibov
Preceded byTajeddin Mehdiyev
Succeeded byTahir Aliyev (acting)
Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
In office
September 1991 (officially from January 22, 1992)[1] – May 1992
Preceded byoffice re-established
Succeeded byColonel Rufat Amirov (acting)
Military service
Branch/service Azerbaijani Armed Forces
RankColonel General

Acting Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan edit

In late January – February, 1992, Musayev serving as Deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, virtually assumed responsibilities of then the Minister of Defense, Tajeddin Mehdiyev who was in Nagorno-Karabakh most of the time, personally leading an unsuccessful Dashalty operation in the vicinity of Shusha and losing several villages of strategic importance, Karkijahan, Gushchular, Malibeyli and Garadaghly, within a few weeks. On February 17, 1992, with the fall of Garadaghly village of Khojavend Rayon where more than 70 Azerbaijani civilians died and shortly before the fall of Khojaly, Mehdiyev was officially removed from the post of Minister of Defense. The interim leadership of ministry was given to Chief of Staff, Shahin Musayev. He would then be replaced by the commander of forces in Aghdam Tahir Aliyev, in late February, 1992.[3]

Chief of Staff edit

Colonel Musayev was Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces from September 1991 (officially from January 22)[4] While a Chief of Staff, Musayev was also repeatedly accused of state treason. On May 7, 1992, he called commandant of Shusha, Elbrus Orujov and told him to clear the land mines in all entrances to Shusha and pull all the ammunition and military equipment back from the first positions allegedly because of visiting members of Red Cross and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. This facilitated advance of Armenian forces into the town the next day and Shusha fell on May 8.[5] While in Gubadly in mid of 1992, Musayev ordered the Azerbaijani population of Gubadly rayon to the leave town. He allegedly told the people in Gubadly that the surface-to-surface missiles were brought to Azerbaijan and that Shusha occupied in May 1992, would be shelled with these missiles and some could accidentally hit Gubadly. Colonel Nusrat Namazov, stationed in Gubadly refuted these claims and argued that then these missiles could instead be installed on heights around Gubadly and shot in the direction of Shusha and if they missed, they would hit Armenian positions in Khankendi located right next to Shusha. This was perceived as an act of treason in favor of Armenians and Musayev was apprehended by the locals but was released at Minister Rahim Gaziyev's insistence. He would later flee to Russia.[6]

General's plot edit

Shahin Musayev was one of the masterminds of the so-called General's Plot to overthrow the government of President Heydar Aliyev.[7] Musayev along with the other former Deputy Minister of Defense, Vahid Musayev and Faig Bakhishaliyev (Special Purpose Police Unit) were arrested and imprisoned in August 1995 on charges of organizing coup d'état by planning to shoot the presidential airplane down in a premeditated rocket attack in May 1995.[8][9]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Ş. X. Musayev haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN SƏRƏNCAMI" [Decree of President of Azerbaijan on Sh. Kh. Musayev]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  2. ^ "Müdafiə Nazirliyinin yaranmasının 18 ili tamam oldu" [18 years pass since establishment of the Ministry of Defense]. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  3. ^ Vugar Orkhan (2010-02-26). "Xocalı – sızlayan yaddaşımız" [Khojaly is our painful memory]. 525-ci qazet. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  4. ^ "ORDUMUZUN 90 İLLİYİ: AZƏRBAYCANIN MÜDAFİƏ NAZİRLƏRİ, BAŞ QƏRARGAH RƏİSLƏRİ VƏ HƏRBİ DƏNİZ QÜVVƏLƏRİNİN KOMANDANLARI" [90 years anniversary of oura rmy: Ministers of Defense, Chiefs of Staff and Naval Commanders of Azerbaijan]. Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  5. ^ "Şuşanın işğalı. Qalanın işğalına bir neçə saat qalmış şəhərdəki vəziyyət" [Occupation of Shusha. The situation in the fortress a few hours before the occupation]. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
  6. ^ Bashir oglu, Ashir (2006). IŞIQLI ŞƏXSIYYƏTLƏR UNUDULMUR [Bright persona are not forgotten] (PDF). Baku: New York University Press. p. 13. B 4702000000-44 / N-098-2006 Qrifli. Retrieved 2014-12-24.
  7. ^ Ramil Mammadli (2010-04-30). "Abşeron rayon Polis Şöbəsinin sabiq rəisinin məhkəməsində müdafiə tərəfi çıxış edib" [Defense attorney for the former police chief of Absheron district presented]. Azeri Press Agency. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  8. ^ "Heydar Aliyev International Online Library". Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  9. ^ J. Mazahiroglu (2010-05-08). "Polis şöbəsinin sabiq rəisinə 13 il həbs" [Former police chief gets 13 years in prison]. Ayna. Retrieved 2010-07-15.