Greece has closed the airspace in the region of Evros for all military aircraft due to the war that Russia is waging in Ukraine, media report on Tuesday.
The Civil Aviation Authority has reportedly issued a relevant air directive (NOTAM) on February 25, following request by the United States and in the context of the updated Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA)
The notam is valid from March 1 until March 28, 2022.
Exempted are Greek and US military aircraft and aircraft that has previously submitted and received a special permit in order to either to cross the airspace of the region, or to land at the airport of Alexandroupolis.
According to 902 FM, Notam A0525 / 22 closes the airspace up to a height of 10,000 feet (approximately 3,000 meters), a height that basically concerns helicopters.
The ban on military flights over the Greek outpost was reportedly made at the request of the United States as there are concerns that Moscow or… allied countries with ties to Russia eg Turkey) could use air means to monitor US military activity in the port of Alexandroupolis, which is now the main gateway for US-based bases in Bulgaria and Romania, note the Greek media, such as cnngree, protothema and others.
The ban on military flights in the airspace of Evros, is reportedly made in the context of the Greek-US Defense Cooperation, in order to prevent any espionage move either by Russia or Turkey on the US base set up in Alexandroupoli.
Greek Armed Forces on full alert
Surface units and submarines along the entire length of the Archipelago in Crete have been developed by the Navy while in the south of Crete the Navy monitors the movements of the Fleets that have gathered in the Eastern Mediterranean.
At the same time, the Army is on standby on the islands of the Eastern Aegean and Evros, where there is continuous training activity of all units under the fear of aggressive action by Turkey or possible provocative action.
The Greek Air Force is on standby as all the Squadrons are on standby in order to respond to any provocative action on the part of Turkey.
March 1-18, almost all the forces of the Greek Army in Evros will start conducting large-scale exercises with the participation of the Infantry, but also of the motorized units of the 4th Army Corps.
According to military sources, the scenarios of the exercises are strictly graded and to the highest degree, something that usually happens only during the interdisciplinary exercise “Parmenion”, the most important and largest exercise of the Armed Forces.
However, as the same sources note, one of the basic scenarios of the exercises envisages the simulation of the defense of Alexandroupolis from any conventional or asymmetric threat by another country.
The General Staff is paying close attention to Turkey’s moves in the region of Eastern Thrace, as the Greek side assesses as very likely the occurrence of an asymmetric threat in Evros. This threat could develop either on land, through the increase of directed migratory flows to the standards of March 2020, or in the wider sea area of the prefecture, where Ankara would seek to provoke an incident by sending Turkish fishing vessels illegally fishing in Greek. territorial waters, as happened last Tuesday afternoon in the sea area between Chios and Oinousses.
US & Russian Fleets in SE Mediterranean
A significant number of warships of the American and Russian fleets are sailing in the wider area of the SE Mediterranean, reports protothema.
More than 30 ships of the Russian fleet appear to have spread over a huge sea area starting from southwestern Crete (where the flagship of the Russian Mediterranean fleet, the cruiser “Ustinov”, has been sailing uninterruptedly in recent days and accompanied by other warships) and reaches as far as southern Cyprus and off the coast of Syria, where their main volume is located.
The number of American ships of the 6th Fleet is approximately similar, which, assisted by warships of NATO member states, have flooded the sea area that starts north of Crete and reaches the southern coasts of Turkey.
At the same time, a significant NATO force is sailing in areas south of Cyprus, monitoring the exercises conducted by ships of the Russian fleet moving between Cyprus and Syria in recent days.
The United States appears to be particularly concerned about Russia’s strong presence in the SE Mediterranean, as several Russian ships carry medium- and long-range missiles that could hit US targets and bases scattered throughout southern Europe and the Middle East.
Some of these vessels, such as the “Ustinov”, carry, among other things, missiles against aircraft carriers, having within their range both the American aircraft carrier “Harry S. Truman” and the French aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle”.
Respectively strong, however, is the firepower of the arsenal and units of the Allied Fleet.
The US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier “Harry S. Truman”, which is also accompanied by the destroyers “USS Bainbridge”, “USS Gravely”, “USS Ross” and “USS Roosevelt”, carries more than 70 modern fighter jets. but also a significant number of Cruise missiles, within the scope of which is the Ukrainian territory.
This detective will be based on good sound intelligence not tsiporo based anti US rhetoric , there is a reason why Russia cosies up to Turkey and Greece and recently Syria ,it needs to control the Mediterranean, Turkish games of the last year’s are almost 100% the result of Putins twisted manipulation, and a constant reminder that Turkey wastes it’s big army on nothing ,so cause some trouble , fact remains that ,which other NATO country buys Russian defence systems, keep your friends close but your enemies closer .
Greece needs to finally extend its maritime territorial borders to 12 miles in able to meet global international standards and international law, to alleviate any confusion with allies when anyone trespasses, and for times like these -needless to say.
Greece is a democratic peace loving nation of a kindred and affectionate people who, however profoundly gallant, are also averse to armed conflict and maintain the highest respect for human value.
Ironically and unfortunately, Greece is also cursed by a geographically valued NATO member who’s autocratic Muslim leader seeks to forcibly rewrite international laws, long standing treaties and borders with constant threats and provocations.
After a punishing decade of financial depression, not recession, Greece endures the totally unnecessary wrath from an embezzling dictator who seeks to deflect from his own economy, accountability, and declining domestic popularity similar to the Russia autocrat that he slyly aligns himself with and from who he buys arms. The one that the international community has been reluctantly forced to address.