The tactic of projecting fake news (fake news) is now included in Ankara’s ongoing and intensifying provocative strategy against our country, even involving the Atlantic Alliance, in an attempt that is estimated to have a dual purpose: on the one hand, to “respond” to a well-founded, in accordance with international law, the diplomatic response of Athens through continuous protests over the illegal activities of the Turkish Air Force in the Aegean, as well as other extreme challenges, such as the Blue Homeland cards.

On the one hand, to amuse Ankara’s negative impressions in NATO because of its friendly choice towards Moscow both in Ukrainian and in the issue of arming it with Russian weapons. His aim in this regard is to present Greece as a “problematic” partner of the Alliance.

This tactic is evidenced by two recent incidents with a statement by the military-civilian leadership of a neighbor that allegedly Greek fighters were pursuing Turkish ones, who were conducting NATO exercises together with the Americans in the Aegean Sea.

Mission Nexus Ace

The most recent of these occurred on August 24 in the northeast Aegean. Turkish Defense Ministry sources put forward the allegation that “a NATO AWACS aircraft and two Turkish F-16s on a Nexus Ace training mission in the Aegean were harassed by Greek warplanes.” However, Greek military sources have demonstrated what the limits of the truth and falsehood of the Turkish claims are. In particular, they noted that the military exercises of Turkish fighters are indeed taking place in the mantle of NATO, but without the participation of aviation from other member states of the Alliance, as is usually the case in real NATO exercises, with the exception of the AWACS flying radar requested by neighbors to carry out the exercises, which planned only in areas of Turkish airspace.

north of Lesbos

After providing details, Athens denied the allegation that yesterday “a NATO AWACS aircraft and two Turkish F-16s were harassed” by Greek fighters.

However, in order to force the episode to construct their script as “raw material” for fake news, they ordered a pair of F-16 fighter jets to fly into Greek airspace north of Lesvos without informing or testifying about the flight plan. the competent authorities of Greece. As always and according to international rules, the Greek fighters went through the process of identification and interception. The process turned into a confrontation due to the refusal of the Turks to leave the zone of Greek national sovereignty, which Ankara aggravated by sending ten more militants to the area, four of whom were armed.

In Megisti and Karpathos

In another incident, in the area between the islands of Megisti and Karpathos, Turkey claimed – falsely, as it turned out – that Greek F-16s were chasing Turkish fighter jets flying NATO missions over the Eastern Mediterranean. Athens also presented the actual parameters of this incident: following consultation and agreement between GEETHA and NATO Air Command (AIRCOM), a US B-52 flight took place in the Athens FIR as part of a demonstration at noon on 22 August. inter-allied cohesion and solidarity. B-52s entered from the southwestern border of the Athens FIR to leave just west of Megistis Island. Although the flight was not intended to be escorted by fighters, as had happened on other occasions in the past, five unidentified airways moved east of Karpathos, interfering with the B-52 route, without filing a flight plan. That is why the process of their interception was tracked.

Turkey has always refused to provide flight plans for its fighters in the Athens FIR, informally stating that, as NATO aircraft, they operate as part of missions in the supposedly common allied space. In recent years, the false claim has been made that “The Chicago Convention of 1944 and ICAO rules and recommendations do not apply to government aircraft”, which is obviously not the case, as there is a need for aviation safety. In terms of violations of national airspace, Turkish expansionism is known to challenge Greece’s airspace capacity.

Finally, it should be noted that on Monday, in a wider area to the west of the Peloponnese, a joint training of our Air Force fighter aircraft with the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman of the United States was held. Two Greek F-16 Block 52+ Advanced aircraft and two American F-18s from an aircraft carrier participated.

Threats and… an invitation to dialogue

CONSTANTINOPOLE. In his statements, Hulusi Akar once again accused Greece and said that he “does not come to the negotiations, does not sit down at the table, does not listen, continues to lie.” Every minute, every second and a lie. We’re tired of proving it’s a lie.” Declaring that his country was ready for negotiations, the Turkish Defense Minister said: “We are determined and capable of not allowing the rights and interests of Turkey and our 85 million citizens, as well as the rights of our Cypriot brothers, to be violated, and to allow an unfailing fact.” Yesterday’s statements by the Turkish defense minister are a continuation of Ankara’s ongoing efforts to “convince” the international community that not its policies, but Athens, are responsible for the tensions in bilateral relations. Added to the chain of other complaints is that the Greek side is violating international treaties by actions such as the militarization of the islands, or by policies to the detriment of the Muslim minority in Thrace. In fact, in recent days, it appears from relevant statements by the Turkish Ministry of Defense or related “leaks” that Ankara is trying to expand its agenda of complaints with non-existent claims of “harassment” of Turkish aircraft by Greek F-16s.