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Underwater Demolition Team (Cyprus)
The Underwater Demolition Team (), abbreviated as MYK () is the Cyprus Navy's special warfare unit. History The Underwater Demolition Team was created in 1964, alongside the newly formed National Guard, with trainers from Greece carrying out the first underwater demolition school, only 18 graduates out of the 142 passing. During the early hours of the invasion, OYK, at its then base in Bogazi, was placed on alert but took no further action during the invasion. Training MYKs training is similar to that of its Greek and American counterparts, with a school (BUD/S) lasting 6–8 months and candidates undergoing the necessary training before completion, including diving (Open and closed circuit), demolitions and undergoing hell week. Equipment MYK uses an array of weapons for the execution of different types of operations they may receive. *FN SCAR *IWI Tavor *AK-74 * M-16 *FN Minimi Notable people Many MYK operators have gained either positions within the government or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyprus Navy
The Cyprus Naval Command (, ) (also known as the Cyprus Navy or Cypriot Navy) is the armed sea wing of the Cyprus National Guard. The Cypriot Navy has the primary mission of defending the maritime borders of the Republic of Cyprus, but is currently unable to access the waters around Northern Cyprus, which have been controlled by the Turkish Navy since the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This force does not possess any capital ships or other major warships, but is equipped with patrol boats, landing craft, surface-to-surface missile systems and integrated radar systems, as well as SEALs-type naval underwater demolitions units. History Combat actions of 1964 On 6 August 1964, Cyprus National Guard forces commenced combat action against the Turkish Cypriot enclave of Kokkina, in the north-west of Cyprus. This operation was regarded by both Cyprus and Greece as a necessary interdiction against a threat by Turkish Cypriot militia, who were using Kokkina as a beachhead by which to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AK-74
The AK-74 ( Russian: , tr. ''Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1974 goda'', lit. 'Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974') is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974 as a successor to the AKM. While primarily associated with the Soviet Union, it has been used by many countries since the 1970s. It is chambered for the 5.45×39mm cartridge, which replaced the 7.62×39mm cartridge of Kalashnikov's earlier automatic weapons for the Soviet Armed Forces. The rifle first saw service with Soviet forces in the Soviet–Afghan War from 1979. The head of the Afghan bureau of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the intelligence agency of Pakistan, claimed that the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) paid $5,000 for the first AK-74 captured by the Afghan mujahideen during the war. , most countries of the former Soviet Union use the rifle. Licensed copies were produced in Bulgaria (AK-74, AKS-74 and AKS-74U), and in the former East Germany ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military Of Cyprus
The National Guard of Cyprus (), also known as the Greek Cypriot National Guard or simply the National Guard, is the military force of the Republic of Cyprus. It consists of air, land, sea and special forces elements, and is highly integrated with its first and second line reserves, as well as supporting civilian agencies and paramilitary forces. The mission of the National Guard is to take all necessary measures for the defense of the Republic of Cyprus for the purpose of dealing with a threatened invasion or any action directed against the independence or territorial integrity of the Republic or threatening to secure the life or property of citizens of the Republic. The main threat to Cyprus comes from the presence of 40,000 Turkish troops stationed in Northern Cyprus. Greece currently maintains a garrison of 950 men in the Republic of Cyprus under the designation Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK), but this is not officially part of the Cyprus military and mostly takes orders ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Special Forces Command (Cyprus)
The Special Forces Command () is a combat arm of the Cypriot National Guard. The primary mission of the Special Forces is unorthodox warfare and this is the purpose for which they began their training in 1964, primarily in the Troodos Mountains, while shortly after, they began operations against Turkish Cypriot rebels ( TMT members) and the Turkish forces operating on the island. History Prior to its formation in 1964, Cyprus had no central unorthodox/ special operations capability but rather had relied on remnants and teams that had either remained after EOKA was disbanded and to units such as Vassos Lyssarides' teams (Also known as the "Κοκκινοσκούφηδες", "Red berets" in English). 1964-1974 After the crisis in 1963, the Cypriot government introduced the Cypriot National Guard and in the summer of 1964 (July 9), the 31st Commando Battalion was formed and was based in Evrychou. It took on its first mission in August 1964 during the Battle of Tillyria against th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Underwater Demolition Command
The Underwater Demolition Command (), abbreviated as DYK () and known until 2001 as the Underwater Demolition Unit (), abbreviated as MYK (), is the Greek Navy's special warfare unit. History Carrying on the tradition of the Hellenic Navy in naval special operations, the unit was established in 1957 with help from the United States Navy's Underwater Demolition Team, when two Greek officers were sent to Little Creek in Virginia to evaluate a UDT operational capability for the Hellenic Navy. The first operation of OYK happened in Cyprus in march of 1964 where a unit inserted by the port of Mansoura, undertook a short reconnaissance of the bay for weapons smuggling from Turkish militias and then proceeded to destroy the contents. In 1997, during the violent unrest that erupted in neighboring Albania, the OYK were responsible for taking control of the international airport of Tirana and the evacuation of 240 foreign dignitaries from Albania (Operation Kosmas). In 2008, OYK team ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Member Of The European Parliament
A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community) first met in 1952, its members were directly appointed by the governments of member states from among those already sitting in their own national parliaments. Since 1979, however, MEPs have been elected by direct universal suffrage every five years. Each Member state of the European Union, member state establishes its own method for electing MEPs – and in some states this has changed over time – but the system chosen must be a form of proportional representation. Some member states elect their MEPs to represent a single national constituency; other states apportion seats to sub-national regions for election. There may also be non-voting observers when a Enlargement of the European Union, new country is seeking membershi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fidias Panayiotou
Fidias Panayiotou (; born 10 April 2000), known mononymously as Fidias, is a Cypriot politician and YouTuber who was elected as an independent MEP in the 2024 European Parliament election. Personal life Fidias was born in Meniko, in the Nicosia District of Cyprus. During his mandatory military service, he served in the Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team. He has a fiancée named Styliana. Career YouTube career Fidias began posting videos on YouTube in 2019. On October 8, 2022, Fidias began a mission to hug Elon Musk after having hugged 99 other celebrities for a video. While waiting outside Twitter's headquarters for Musk to appear almost every day, he encouraged his followers to "spam" Elon's mother, Maye Musk, with his request, which she described as "malicious". On January 21, 2023, Musk met and hugged Fidias in the headquarters building. In January 2023, Fidias announced on Cypriot television his intention to interview every candidate running for the 2023 Cypriot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa ( , ), officially Romanization, romanised Agia Napa, is a Tourism in Cyprus, tourist resort at the far eastern end of the southern coast of Cyprus. Etymology The name Ayia Napa is derived from a Venetian Cyprus, Venetian-era monastery of the same name, located in the centre of the town, next to the square that today is the Nightclub, clubbing centre. The word ''Ayia'' means "holy" in Greek. ''Napa'' is archaic and means "wooded valley" or "Dell (landform), dell". In ancient times the area surrounding the town was covered with thick forest. Geography Ayia Napa lies near Cape Greco at the eastern part of Cyprus, south of Famagusta, and forms part of a larger area known as ''Kokkinochoria'' ("Red Villages", a name derived from the vivid red colour of the soil). It is a town of the Famagusta District, in the remaining Republic of Cyprus-controlled southern part of the district, Ayia Napa is about from Protaras, which has also been developed as a tourist destination. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center
The Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center or JRCC Larnaca (Greek: ) is an independent agency of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus and its primary mission is to organize the national Search and Rescue (SAR) system, to co-ordinate, to control and direct SAR operations in the region that the Cyprus JRCC is responsible for (which coincides with the Nicosia FIR), so that people, whose lives are at risk as a result of aviation or maritime accidents, can be located and rescued in the least amount of time. This is achieved by coordinating all the different agencies involved such as, Cyprus Police (Including Port and Marine Police, Cyprus Fire Service and Cyprus Police Aviation Unit), the Cypriot National Guard, the Cyprus Civil Defence and other secondary Units, acting as a communications agent between them, so that they do not conduct overlapping searches and waste time by searching areas already searched by other units and in general help all the different units oper ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Evangelos Florakis Naval Base Explosion
On 11 July 2011, at Evangelos Florakis Naval Base, situated at Mari, Larnaca District in Cyprus, a large amount of ammunition and military explosives self-detonated, killing 13 people, including the Commander of the Cyprus Navy, Andreas Ioannides, the base commander, Lambros Lambrou, and six firefighters. A further 62 people were injured. The explosion was the worst peacetime military accident ever recorded in Cyprus, with a yield of approximately 481 tons TNT equivalent, as determined by the official investigation into the accident. It was the largest artificial non-nuclear explosion of the 21st century until the 2020 Beirut explosions. Background In open storage on the base were 98 containers of 120 mm, 122 mm, 125 mm, and 160 mm high explosive artillery shells, 7.62 mm shell casings, compressed gunpowder, silver dollar-sized slugs, primers, and magnesium primers that had been seized by the United States Navy in 2009 after it intercepted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andreas Ioannides (naval Officer)
Andreas Ioannides (; 1958 – 11 July 2011) was the head of the Cyprus Navy until his death in the Evangelos Florakis Navy Base explosion, which took place at the Evangelos Florakis Navy Base on 11 July 2011. Career A Greeks, Greek Republic of Cyprus, Cypriot, Ioannides was born in Rizokarpaso in 1958, entered the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1977 and graduated in 1981 as an Ensign. He then underwent additional training at various Greek special forces facilities and command and staff schools. Ioannides served as an officer on board warships, as CO of the Exocet, MM40 Exocet batteries, as head of the Staff and Operations Directorate of the Cyprus Naval Command, head of the Coastal Surveillance Command, head of the Warships Command and Deputy Commander of the Cyprus Naval Command, before being appointed as Commander of the Naval Command on 20 August 2008, taking over from Captain Panayotis Vougioulakis. References , - 1958 births 2011 deaths Cyprus Navy personnel Accide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
FN Minimi
The FN Minimi (short for ; "mini machine gun") is a Belgian 5.56mm or 7.62mm light machine gun, also classified as a squad automatic weapon developed by Ernest Vervier for FN Herstal. Introduced in the late 1970s, it is in service in more than 75 countries. The weapon is manufactured at the FN facility in Herstal and their U.S. subsidiary FN Manufacturing LLC. The Minimi fires from an open bolt. It is an air-cooled, gas operated long-stroke piston weapon that is capable of fully automatic fire only. It can be belt fed or fired from a magazine. The Minimi is configured in several variants: the Standard model as a platoon or squad support weapon, the shortened Para version for paratroopers and the Vehicle model as secondary armament for fighting vehicles. Design details Operating mechanism The Minimi uses a gas-actuated long-stroke piston system. The barrel is locked with a rotary bolt, equipped with two massive locking lugs, forced into battery by a helical camming guide ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
