Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said on Monday that he is traveling to Cyprus tomorrow, Tuesday, and that Greece deploys two frigates and two F-16 fighter jets there due to security concerns.
Dendias will be accompanied by Hellenic National Defense General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis.
The decision to deploy the two frigates and the two F-16 fighter jets, was taken by the emergency meeting of the National Security Council (KYSEA) on Saturday, following communication between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.
One of the frigates to be deployed is the newly acquired from France, the Beharra FDI frigate “Kimon“ and one MEKO, frigate “Psara”.
It will be the first trip of the FDI “Kimon”, while the MEKO frigate that will be in Cyprus will be equipped with the Greek anti-drone system “KENTAVROS”.
The two F-16s of the Greek Air Force will be stationed in Nicosia.
Dendias stressed that the deployment of the frigates and the F-16s comes to confirm “the doctrine of the single defense area” between the two countries and following the attacks on the British RAF base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, by Iranian Shahed drones since midnight on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
“After the unprovoked attacks, I assured that Greece will contribute to the defense of Cyprus throughout the crisis,” Minister Dendias stressed..
It is noted that Nikos Dendias is in constant communication with his Cypriot counterpart, Vassilis Palmas, regarding any developments in the region.
Analysts on state-broadcaster ERT said that the deployment does not mean that Greece is joining the war in the Middle East.
