Polad Hashimov

National Hero of Azerbaijan Polad Hashimov
Nickname(s)	General of the Trenches[1]
Born	(1975-01-02)January 2, 1975 Vandam, Gutgashen District, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union
Died	July 14, 2020(2020-07-14) (aged 45) near Tovuz District, Azerbaijan
Buried	Second Alley of Honor
Allegiance	Azerbaijan
Service/branch	Azerbaijani Land Forces
Years of service	1992–2020
Rank	Major general
Commands held	1st Army Corps (deputy; 2016) 3rd Army Corps (deputy; 2017–2020)
Battles/wars	First Nagorno-Karabakh War Battle of Aghdam Operation Murovdagh Four-Day War Tovuz clashes
Awards	Gold Star Medal (posthumous)
Alma mater	Baku Higher Combined Arms Command School Azerbaijan Higher Military Academy Tuzla Infantry School
Spouse(s)	Ophelia Salmanova
Children	three

Polad Israyil oghlu Hashimov (Azerbaijani: Polad İsrayıl oğlu Həşimov; 2 January 1975 – 14 July 2020) was an Azerbaijani military officer, National Hero of Azerbaijan and a major general who served as the Deputy Commander and the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army Corps of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Hashimov was a popular military figure who took part in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Four-Day War. He was awarded numerous honours during his military career, including jubilee and other medals. He commanded the Azerbaijani forces during the border clashes with Armenia in July 2020 and was killed on the morning of 14 July while fighting on the front-line in the Tovuz District of Azerbaijan. His death sparked violent protests throughout the country calling for war with Armenia, a prelude to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, which began in September of the same year. He was awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan posthumously in December 2020.

Hashimov is the first and only general of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to be killed during battle. Before him, Ismat Gayibov, the first Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan, and Mahammad Asadov, a major general in the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs, were killed in November 1991 when the Mil Mi-8 helicopter they were in was shot down by Armenian forces.