Multinational Exercise “Nemesis 2025” Conducted in Cyprus EEZ to Enhance Crisis Response

Today, the annual multinational exercise Nemesis 2025 took place in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus, involving personnel and assets from eight countries: Cyprus, Greece, France, the UK, the USA, Israel, Italy, and Egypt. Cypriot Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas, alongside ambassadors and defence attachés from the participating nations, observed parts of the exercise from the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (RSCC) in Larnaca.

Simulating Crisis on a Natural Gas Platform

The exercise simulated a crisis scenario centered on a natural gas extraction platform, featuring successive phases including terrorist attacks, fire outbreaks, rescue and air ambulance operations, and marine pollution response. The Joint Crisis Emergency Directorate (JCED) emphasized that the exercise focused on rapid decision-making and synchronized operations among government agencies and allied forces.

Diverse Naval and Aerial Assets in Action

The operation included a Greek Navy frigate and a Hellenic Army CH-47D helicopter, a French Navy frigate with its helicopter, and a U.S. naval cooperation aircraft. Cyprus contributed seven naval vessels from the National Guard, helicopters, UAVs, and three patrol boats from the Port and Maritime Police. Additionally, Petronav’s tanker Alexandria—contracted with the European Maritime Safety Agency—and vessels from EDT Offshore and VTS joined the maritime core.

Implementing National Crisis Plans

Three Special National Plans were tested alongside the national crisis plan Zenon:

• Shield (Ministry of Justice) – counter-terrorism response
• Tefcros (Ministry of Defence) – mass maritime rescue operations
• Orpheus (Ministry of Agriculture) – marine pollution and environmental protection

Specialized Teams and Ground Support

The exercise engaged specialized units including the Police Special Anti-Terrorist Squad, the 31st Hellenic Airborne Division’s parachute team, the 747 Special Engineer Battalion, Fire Brigade engineers, Cyprus Reserve Frogmen, and paramedics from the Ambulance Service. Lifesaving teams from Larnaca and Paphos airports, along with Marine Rescue and Maritime Response Teams, played key roles in managing ground and sea incidents.

Strategic Importance and Ongoing Development

The Cyprus Security and Defence Directorate (CSED) highlighted that the exploitation of natural gas in the Cypriot EEZ brings both benefits and responsibilities. Nemesis 2025 demonstrated that Cyprus and its partners have robust procedures to respond effectively to terrorist threats, large-scale rescue operations, and environmental emergencies related to offshore energy infrastructure.

Held annually since 2013, Nemesis has become a vital exercise fostering interoperability among government agencies, armed forces, allied nations, and private operators within Cyprus’s EEZ. The ongoing goal is to continuously enhance counter-terrorism, search and rescue, and marine environmental protection capabilities.

Real-World Testing of Coordination

The exercise also involved support from the Andreas Papandreou Air Base and the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base to test real-time information flow, response times, and coordination between land, sea, and air forces under realistic conditions.