Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias arrived in Cyprus on Tuesday to meet President Nikos Christodoulides and his Cypriot counterpart Vasilis Palmas, following a drone strike on the British Bases at Akrotiri.
“I came to convey to you, to Vasilis and to the Cypriot people the support of the Greek government and the Greek people,” Dendias said at the Presidential Palace, where he was received by Palmas shortly after 11:00. “Greece will give whatever help it can to Cyprus, based on its capabilities.”
Greece sent two frigates and four fighter planes to Cyprus. According to deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou, the ships will anchor south of Limassol and south of Paphos. Their positioning is intended to protect the Vasilikos energy plant and ensure the security of Paphos airport, he said.
He said he would discuss the practical aspects of that assistance with Palmas. “We are entirely and unconditionally at your disposal,” he added.
The visit came after a Shahed-type drone struck inside the British Bases at Akrotiri, causing minor material damage, President Christodoulides confirmed in a statement on Monday. Christodoulides also said Cyprus has no intention of taking part in any military operation.
Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters on Monday afternoon that Cyprus has never been a target and that all attacks have been directed at the British Bases at Akrotiri. He said there was no information indicating ballistic missiles had been launched toward Cyprus and confirmed that the Andreas Papandreou air base had not been targeted.
Letymbiotis said precautionary measures taken earlier at Paphos airport were in response to two drone attacks directed at the Akrotiri base. The British Bases military commander separately informed local communities that, in their assessment, the threat to eastern Cyprus is low.
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