11.03.2026 20:13
Italy has sent the frigate named 'Federico Martinengo' to the region to protect the Greek Cypriot Administration from missiles and drones. The frigate has arrived in the area. The frigate, with at least 160 Italian soldiers on board, will support a coordinated operation with France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
It has been reported that Italy's "Federico Martinengo," a multipurpose frigate of the "Bergamini" class, which was dispatched to protect the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) from missile and drone threats, has arrived in the region.
ITALIAN FRIGATE REACHED SOUTH CYPRUS
According to a report by the Italian ANSA agency, the multipurpose frigate named "Federico Martinengo," produced under the Italian Navy's "FREMM (European Multi-Purpose Frigate)" project, reached the vicinity of Cyprus today.
160 ITALIAN SOLDIERS ON BOARD
The frigate, which has at least 160 Italian soldiers on duty, will support a coordinated operation with France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Following the crisis that began with the United States and Israel's attack on Iran on February 28, and continued with Iran's retaliations, Italy announced that it would send forces to the region after a drone crash at the British sovereign base in Akrotiri (Ağrotur) in the TRNC last week, and dispatched the "Federico Martinengo" frigate from Taranto Port on March 6.
The frigate in question had also served in the "Aspides" mission initiated by the European Union (EU) last year to maintain freedom of navigation in the Red Sea due to its air defense capabilities.