The Republic of Cyprus has reported 659 violations by Turkish air and naval forces during June and July 2026 in a letter submitted to the United Nations by Cyprus' Permanent Representative, Ambassador Maria Michael.
The letter, dated 29 September 2026 and circulated on 2 October 2026 as a document of both the UN General Assembly and Security Council, records 626 air violations and 33 maritime violations.
The complaints concern alleged violations of Cyprus' national airspace, international air traffic regulations within the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR), territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus and the unlawful use of closed Cypriot ports and airports.
Drones and fighter jets
According to the figures included in the letter and its four annexes, 203 of the 626 air violations involved Turkish military drones, while 192 involved armed Turkish fighter aircraft.
Nicosia also accuses Turkey of conducting unauthorised military exercises in violation of Cyprus' national airspace, including the issuance of what it describes as an unlawful NOTAM notice.
The annexes reportedly document violations involving Turkish F-16 fighter jets, Bayraktar TB-2, Anka, Akinci and Aksungur drones, as well as military helicopters and other aircraft.
According to the Cypriot government, the aircraft entered the Nicosia FIR and Cyprus' national airspace without diplomatic clearance or communication with the Nicosia Area Control Centre.
Maritime violations
The maritime incidents involve Turkish military vessels, including missile boats, frigates, submarines, landing ships and patrol vessels.
The letter alleges that the vessels violated the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus and unlawfully used the closed ports of Famagusta and Kyrenia while participating in operations by Turkish occupation forces.
Impact on negotiations
Ambassador Michael states that, beyond the specific incidents listed, Turkish forces continue on a daily basis to violate the military status quo on the island while steadily increasing their military presence and expanding infrastructure in Turkish-occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus.
She argues that the actions are not isolated incidents but form part of a continuing pattern that, in Cyprus' view, violates the country's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and runs contrary to the UN Charter and international law.
According to the letter, the continued violations and what Cyprus describes as persistent aggressive behaviour by the occupying power undermine efforts to create the conditions of trust needed for the resumption of meaningful negotiations on a comprehensive Cyprus settlement and contribute to a sense of insecurity among Cypriots.
Support for UN-led efforts
The letter concludes by reaffirming the Republic of Cyprus' commitment to supporting the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to restart negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement that would reunify the country and its people in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Source: CNA
