The Republic of Cyprus has reported a total of 659 violations by Turkish air and naval forces during the months of June and July 2026 in a letter from its Permanent Representativeto the UN, Ambassador Maria Michael, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, dated September 29, 2026.
The letter, which was circulated on October 2, 2026, as a document of the UN General Assembly and Security Council, lists 626 airspace violations and 33 maritime violations. The complaints concern violations of national airspace, international air traffic regulations in the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) of Nicosia and the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as the illegal use of closed ports and airports in Cyprus.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
According to the data presented in the letter and its four annexes, of the 626 airspace violations, 203 were carried out by Turkish military unmanned aerial vehicles and 192 by Turkish armed fighter jets.
Nicosia also denounces Turkey’s conduct of unauthorized military exercises, in violation of the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus, for which a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was unlawfully issued.
The appendices document, among other things, violations by Turkish F-16 fighter jets, BAYRAKTAR TB-2 and ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles, AKINCI, and AKSUNGUR unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as military helicopters and other aircraft. As noted, Turkish military aircraft entered the Nicosia FIR and the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus without diplomatic authorization or communication with the Nicosia Area Control Center.
The naval violations involve Turkish warships, including missile boats, frigates, submarines, troop transports, and patrol boats, which, according to the letter, violated the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus and illegally used the closed ports of Famagusta and Kyrenia, participating in naval operations of the occupying forces.
The Permanent Representative of Cyprus emphasizes that, in addition to these specific violations, “the Turkish occupying forces continue, on a daily basis, to violate the military status quo on the island, while steadily reinforcing their military presence and expanding military infrastructure in the Turkish-occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus.”
As it emphasizes, “these illegal actions are not isolated incidents,” but constitute “further manifestations of Turkey’s ongoing disregard for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Cyprus” and are contrary to the United Nations Charter and international law.
Ms. Michael points out that “the ongoing violations and the persistent aggressive behavior of the occupying power clearly undermine efforts to build the conditions of trust necessary for the resumption of substantive negotiations aimed at a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem” and, at the same time, “exacerbate the sense of insecurity felt by all Cypriots.”
In conclusion, Ms. Michael reaffirms the Republic of Cyprus’s full commitment to supporting the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to resumenegotiations and the achievement of “a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement that will reunite the country and its people, in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”
