The Russian is pushed aside - Turkey furious: The neighboring island's procurement from Israel stirs up a storm
Cyprus is advancing in equipping an additional battery of the Israeli "Barak MX" system, which is drawing criticism in Turkey. Nicosia is also considering purchasing Iron Dome and Israeli laser systems, but no final decisions have been made yet. Old Russian systems remain in service.
Cyprus is advancing in equipping an additional battery of the Israeli air defense system "Barak MX", a move that is drawing sharp criticism in Turkey. According to a report on the European news site EUalive, the system was acquired after a review process that began in 2021, and it is capable of intercepting threats from drones to tactical ballistic missiles at a range of up to 150 km. Alongside this, various reports indicate that Nicosia is considering purchasing additional Israeli systems, including "Drone Dome" for neutralizing drones, "Light Blade" based on laser technology, and "Iron Dome" for intercepting rockets. However, it was emphasized that no final decisions have been made yet. Meanwhile, the Cypriot National Guard maintains the older Russian defense systems of the Tor-M1 and Buk models, which have not yet been decided to be decommissioned.