Piri Reis Stirs the Aegean: Greek Armed Forces Conduct Readiness Exercise from Evros to Kastellorizo

Greece is conducting a large-scale readiness exercise today, starting at 5 a.m., spanning the full Aegean Sea and from Evros to Kastellorizo, aimed at demonstrating resoluteness and deterrence capability. The cognition comes successful effect to Turkey’s announced probe activities of the oceanographic vas “Piri Reis.”

For the exercise, the joint readiness force was activated, involving unit and assets from each 3 branches of the Greek Armed Forces, arsenic good arsenic the Special Warfare Command (ΔΕΠ) of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (ΓΕΕΘΑ).

Ankara raises sovereignty issues

With the deployment of the Piri Reis in the Aegean, Turkey has triggered questions of jurisdiction and sovereignty. It issued a NAVTEX from its İzmir presumption valid until September 25 for “scientific” probe at 22 points, including areas astir the Gulf of İzmir, westbound of Lesbos, southbound of Chios, and up to the islet of Kalogeros successful the cardinal Aegean.

Although the Turkish oceanographic vas is technically susceptible of conducting specified measurements, the captious contented remains who holds the authorization to contented NAVTEX notices, particularly erstwhile the planned way crosses Greek territorial waters.

In response, Greece issued a counter-NAVTEX from the Limnos Hydrographic Station, emphasizing that these areas lie within Greek continental support and jurisdiction, for either probe oregon subject exercises.

Military mobilization from Evros to the Aegean

The workout involves soldiers, aircraft, and naval vessels from each branches, with Special Forces deployed to implicit 30 islands. Ground forces successful Evros have besides been mobilized, ensuring full readiness against immoderate imaginable scenario.

As Government Spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis emphasized: “Greece volition proceed to support its nationalist interests without taking a azygous measurement back.”

Geopolitical context: Chevron and Eastern Mediterranean tensions

The Turkish determination with Piri Reis coincides with Chevron’s authoritative proposal to research offshore areas southbound of Crete, heightening geopolitical tensions successful the Eastern Mediterranean.

The simultaneous Greek readiness exercise signals that Athens is closely monitoring Ankara’s activities, maintaining high vigilance and subject presence at each captious points successful the Aegean.

Deterrence and resolve

The associated workout highlights Greece’s ability to respond swiftly to immoderate provocation. The integration of air, naval, and crushed forces sends a wide connection of deterrence and underscores the strategic value of the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean for nationalist information and the extortion of sovereign rights.