The Cyprus National Guard is searching for answers after a significant quantity of explosives reportedly “went missing” during a training exercise, in what authorities describe as an extremely serious incident.

During the post-exercise inventory of materials at the Kalo Chorio firing range, discrepancies were noted in the records for approximately 30 pounds (around 13 kilograms) of TNT.

The incident became public yesterday. Sources report that the military leadership was immediately notified and launched an investigation, while the police are also aware of the case.

Two Possible Scenarios

Authorities are considering two main possibilities:

1. Theft – The explosives may have indeed disappeared and could have been taken by someone involved in the exercise.
2. Unrecorded Use – The TNT may have been used during the exercise but not logged according to protocol. If confirmed, this is not a minor technicality. Proper recording of explosives is a crucial safety measure, not mere bureaucracy.

Exercise Postponed

Until the situation is clarified, the exercise scheduled for this morning has been postponed. National Guard Chief Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou reportedly visited the site to personally oversee the investigation.

As of now, there is no official public statement from the Ministry of Defense.

Clarifying the TNT Quantity

Initial reports mistakenly listed the missing explosives as 300 kilograms, which was later corrected to around 30 pounds (13 kilograms). This correction is significant as it changes the scope of the incident and the scale of the operational and law enforcement response required.

Previous Incidents

Cyprus has previously recorded incidents at the same firing range. In 2012, three pounds of TNT were reported stolen under different circumstances. While there is no evidence connecting the two cases, the earlier incident highlights why strict safety protocols for handling explosives remain critical.