Lawyers representing a former Greek soldier serving in Cyprus (Eldyk) seriously injured by a grenade said two of the 73 grenades supplied to the unit had been withdrawn after cracks were found, speaking after a court hearing in Athens last Friday.

The former Eldyk soldier, now 25, is suing the Greek state for hundreds of thousands of euros in compensation after he was seriously injured in February 2024 while throwing a grenade from the batch during an exercise at a firing range in the Stavrovouni area.

His right hand was amputated, and he lost his right eye a year later.

Cyprus Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said on Monday the ministry was aware of the case but could not comment further due to the ongoing court case.

The administrative court in Athens heard arguments from both sides on Friday and reserved its decision.

The law firm representing the soldier said testimony presented in court showed the grenade that exploded belonged to a batch of 73 manufactured in Egypt in 2008 and received by the National Guard in 2009.

Under the terms of the original contract, the batch carried a shelf life of 10 years, meaning it should have been withdrawn or destroyed by 2018.

The grenades were nonetheless transferred to Eldyk at its request in 2023.

According to the law firm, the only check carried out before their use was a visual inspection for cracks by a lieutenant, which it said was the Greek state’s sole argument during the hearing.

The firm said two grenades from the batch were withdrawn after cracks were detected and never used, while a separate case involving an amputation following the premature activation of a grenade’s firing mechanism had previously been recorded.

It added that the ammunition had not been approved by the Greek army’s superiors and was not accompanied by a technical manual detailing its use and maintenance.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, the defence ministry assured that the matter would be discussed at the next House defence committee.

An administrative inquiry into the 2024 incident did not lay blame to any individual.

Speaking about the issue on Monday, Palmas said: “There is a legal proceeding underway in Greece concerning this specific incident and the lawsuits filed by those who suffered the accident against the Greek state,” he said.

He remarked that further comment “could complicate the legal proceeding or affect the facts of the case.”

House defence committee chairman and Elam MP Evgenios Chamboullas told Sigma TV that he had requested data and minutes relating to the findings, though he urged caution given the ongoing legal proceedings in Greece.

Chamboullas said he had received assurances that current security measures “do not endanger national guard personnel” and that equipment upgrades were continuing.

The case is not the first involving the same grenade type, as Andreas Doulappas, then a trainee with the underwater demolition unit (Myk), lost his right hand after being injured by a grenade in April 2014.

A document published by Alpha in August 2016, issued by the National Guard, warned that melted explosive material had jammed part of a grenade during a training exercise, and stated that the grenades should not be used.