Newsroom
Naval vessels from Cyprus and Greece carried out coordinated drills off the Larnaca and Limassol coastline on Tuesday, as part of the ongoing “NIKITIS–DIMITRA 2026” exercise, in a show of military cooperation that is likely to draw public attention across the island.
The training, conducted under the code name “DNPN/02-2026,” brought together the Cypriot naval vessel “PATH IOANNIDIS” and the Greek frigate "ELLI," which operated side by side at sea in a series of structured scenarios.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the exercise included tactical maneuvers, coordinated ship movements, technical drills, and communications exercises designed to test coordination between the two navies in real-time conditions.
While officials did not describe any live-fire activity, the focus was clearly on realism and readiness, the kind of military exercise that often attracts attention from Cypriots who live along the coast and are used to spotting navy vessels just offshore during joint drills like this.
The aim, the ministry said, was to improve interoperability between the two forces and strengthen operational know-how in carrying out naval missions. In simple terms: making sure the two navies can work smoothly together if they ever need to.
The exercise was observed at sea by the Chief of the National Guard, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, who watched the drills unfold from the operational area.
He later congratulated the crews of both vessels, praising their professionalism and coordination during the exercise.
Exercises like this are part of a wider pattern of regular defense cooperation between Cyprus and Greece, often carried out in Cypriot waters and seen as a key element of regional security planning in the Eastern Mediterranean.
