Military exercise shows readiness of National Guard says chief (video)

The large-scale tactical National Guard exercise Nikitis-Dimitra 2023 which took place in the land, sea, and air space of Cyprus showed the preparation and effectiveness of the units, leading officers said on Saturday.

Personnel and assets from the general staff, administration, formations, and tactical units of the National Guard participated in the exercise, which concluded on Friday. In certain phases of the exercise, planned and emergency reservists and national guardsmen were also called upon to participate.

State agencies and services related to defence and security, under the coordination of the Central Emergency Planning Policy Service (CEPPO) of the defence ministry, were also involved in providing support to the National Guard.

“The purpose of the exercise was the training and familiarisation of all personnel with decision-making processes, their conversion into instructions and orders during periods of intensity, crisis, and operations,” the National Guard said.

It also aimed at “the training of units in inter-branch operational scenarios, dealing with the unexpected, evaluating operational tools, the administrative support system, the mobilisation system, as well as the implementation and testing of plans,” it added.

During the exercise, subjects related to the survivability of units, the execution of combined and inter-branch operations to address both conventional and asymmetric threats, and their support in matters of administrative care were examined.

Chief of the National Guard Major General Democritos Zervakis said the results of the exercise confirmed the soundness of the planning, detailed preparation, precise and effective conduct, as well as the high level of combat capability of the units.

These factors, he said, contribute to the enhancement of the operational readiness of the National Guard.