Greek Cypriot Administration seeks to replace Russian tanks

The Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA) is reportedly looking to gradually replace the Russian-made "T-80U" tanks in the inventory of the National Guard (NG).

According to a report by the Greek Cypriot newspaper Fileleftheros, it was stated during a 4-hour meeting of the House Defense Committee that the 82 Russian-made "T-80U" tanks held by the NG would undergo a gradual replacement process.

The report noted that the meeting in the Committee was held with the goal of the Ministry of Defense initiating contacts to resolve the tank issue and ensuring that at least one battalion's worth of tanks could be replaced in 2024 (via a supplementary budget).

The report stated that it remains an open question where the Ministry of Defense will turn to replace the 82 "T-80U" tanks purchased from Russia between 1996-97 and 2010-11, noting that Israeli-made "Merkava" tanks are on the table.

The report added that although NG officials are considering cooperation opportunities with France, Israel is viewed as a "reliable ally" in the region, and "Merkava" tanks might be preferred because they possess technical specifications that align with the NG's needs.

THEY HAD DENIED UKRAINE CLAIMS

While previous reports in the Greek Cypriot and Israeli press alleged that the GCA intended to purchase Merkava Mark 3 tanks—which were used as the main battle tank in Israel until 2016 and were taken out of service following the introduction of Merkava Mark 4 and Mark 5 models—at an affordable price, some Greek Cypriot sources had claimed that the NG wanted to acquire 5th-generation Merkavas entirely.

Greek Cypriot military officials have categorically denied claims that the Russian tanks in the NG's inventory would be given to Ukraine as part of the renewal process.

AGREEMENT SIGNED FOR FRENCH HELICOPTERS

The Greek Cypriot side delivered its 11 Russian-made "Mi-35" helicopters to Serbia at the beginning of this month and signed an agreement with the French company "Airbus Helicopters" to purchase 6 "H145M" combat helicopters to replace them.

It is alleged that the Greek Cypriot Administration, which has complied with European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia following the war between Russia and Ukraine, is experiencing shortages of parts and ammunition for Russian-made weapons in its inventory, and is therefore disposing of Russian-made weapons and platforms.

The Greek Cypriot Ministry of Defense allocated approximately 200 million euros of the 523 million euros projected in its 2023 budget to armament.