Greek Army

The Greek army it seems is “infested” with anti-Greek nationalists of various ethnic backgrounds. Following the two incidents with the 7 recruits that posted a photo on social media flashing the Albanian eagle hand sign and a similar case of a soldier in the special Greek forces (ELDYK) in Cyprus, a new troubling case has emerged.

The Hellenic Army General Staff is launching an internal investigation following revelations that 7 recruits in the Greek army of Albanian background had posted a photo on social media depicting them making the sigh of the of the Albanian eagle with their hands, a nationalistic symbol of Albanian irredentism.

Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos labeled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a ruthless dictator in an interview on Greek radio. “When they threaten our country we shall respond and they should know that we are not prepared to back down on matters of national sovereignty in the name of diplomacy”, Kammenos underlined.

Turkey’s bellicose stance towards Greece on the status quo of islands in the Aegean Sea is not something that has emerged out of the blue. The adoption of of a well planned policy that disputes the sovereignty of Greece over a series of islands and island rocks in the Aegean Sea began after the two countries came close to a military conflict in 1996 over the rock island of Imia.

On occasion of the 76th anniversary of the “OCHI DAY”, Minister of Defence Panos Kammenos issued a statement praising the readiness of the armed forces, adding that the heroic stance of the army in 1940, when it stopped the advancing fascist forces of Mussolini in its tracks, strengthened the hopes and expectations for the future of Greece.

I felt a sense of pride last Wednesday as the Greek state finally carried out its duty towards a group of our compatriots who died for their country. It took 42 years for the truth to come out but eventually it did.

The AH-64D helicopter crashed for reasons unknown in the waters of the Strimonikos Gulf near Asprovalta, in northern Greece while taking part in SARISA 2016 exercise.
The footage below shows the helicopter crashing into the sea and capsizing. Fortunately, both crew members escaped safely.

A Greek army helicopter crash landed during exercises off the coast of Halkidiki in northern Greece on Tuesday morning, with both pilots emerging from the wreckage unharmed.

The causes of the crash, which occurred at around 9 a.m. in the Gulf of Strymon, east of Halkidiki, are being investigated.

The Greek army on April 14 staged a double military exercise on its border with Macedonia and an island cluster near Turkey, officials said, amid tension with Skopje over the refugee crisis.
 
"Emergency manoeuvres have been ordered in Kilkis (in northern Greece) and Oinousses (in the eastern Aegean)," an army general staff source told AFP.
 

The military parade for March 25 national holiday celebrations is in progress in the center of Greece’s capital, Athens.