The ongoing investigations into the serious injury of a Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK) soldier from a hand grenade explosion bring to light the contract between the Ministry of Defense and an Egyptian company for the supply of tens of thousands of hand grenades, which was concluded in 2008.
The terms of the contract, brought to light today by Phileleftheros, indicate that these grenades were supposed to be decommissioned 10 years after their manufacture.
However, most importantly, they reveal the possibility of criminal negligence, which may fall under the penal code.
This would apply if the investigations confirm the existing information that the grenade, which prematurely detonated causing the 23-year-old Greek soldier to lose part of his hand, was part of the disputed batch.
For now, all information indicates that the grenade was defensive, of Egyptian origin, and of a specific type, DG 270/2.
It perfectly matches the military equipment provided for in the 2008 contract.
Furthermore, despite strict control of information leakage by the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard, a source within the military confirmed yesterday that “the grenade used last Wednesday was Egyptian.”
The 2008 Contract
The controversial contract, details of which we bring to light, provided for the supply of over 75,000 grenades from an Egyptian company.
It was activated in the winter of 2008, with the contracting parties being the Ministry of Defense and the company from the neighboring country.
According to its terms, the agreement included the supply of thousands of defensive and offensive grenades to the Cypriot military, as well as a smaller number of incendiary and smoke grenades, all of Egyptian origin.
Manufactured in 2008, they were received by the National Guard in April 2009. The significant parameter concerns the shelf life of these grenades.
One of the clauses of the contract clearly stated that these grenades had a warranty of five years and a shelf life of 10 years based on their year of manufacture.
Supplied by the National Guard
Information from Phileleftheros also indicates that the National Guard had supplied the Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK) with Egyptian grenades last year.
A request was made by ELDYK in 2023, with the National Guard providing a specific number for training. It should be noted here that the Cypriot National Guard has its own weaponry; however, in some cases, it procures military equipment from the National Guard.
Defective weapons
It should be recalled that the issue of defective construction was raised with these controversial grenades two years before their expiration date (2018).
Last Thursday (22/02), Alpha Cyprus revealed a document showing the General Staff of the National Guard sending the following message to all relevant parties in 2016: “You are informed that on August 24, 2016, during the execution of a defensive grenade firing DG 270/2, of Egyptian manufacture and origin, it was found during the process of placing the detonator on the body of the grenade that the hole of the body was blocked due to the liquefaction of the explosive material. Following the above, the use of this type of grenade should be avoided.”
As is known, in April 2014, trainee Andreas Doulappas was injured in the same way as the accident, during a UDK exercise in Kalavasos.
At the age of 19, a grenade exploded in his hand, resulting in amputation.
Doulappas, in addition to the amputation of his hand, suffered internal bleeding as fragments hit him in the abdominal area.
Commenting recently on the issue, Doulappas had stated among other things that “I sued the state legally, I never found my justice as during the army the witnesses were considered unreliable, so the blame was on us. I never received moral justice.”
“Not So Simple”
An official from the military, when asked to comment on the above information, declined to say anything other than “the issue is not that simple,” referring to batches of military supplies within the framework of a contract.
In essence, he wanted to convey that regardless of when the contract for the procurement of specific materials was signed, they are delivered in different batches.
Questions remain
However, if it is confirmed that the disputed grenade used by the soldier of the ELDYK is from the production line of the 2008 contract, questions will arise:
Why weren’t they destroyed 5-6 years after their predetermined period of use?
What checks did the Military line of command make regarding their withdrawal or destruction after the accident in 2014?
When was the last laboratory test, if any, conducted to determine the reliability of the ammunition for use?
Two Investigations, Police Excluded
Information from the Ministry of Defense states that two investigations are underway for the injury of the 23-year-old soldier.
One by the Cypriot military, following the instructions of the Chief of the National Guard George Tsiitsikostas, and the other by ELDYK.
The Cyprus Police were not notified to assist in any way with the investigation.
Usually, the police are called upon to conduct examinations in cases of a military member’s death or to assist in serious accidents.
However, the leadership of the National Guard judged that there was no reason for police involvement in the investigation and that there is adequate expertise within the military.
The Chief of the National Guard, George Tsiitsikostas, is reported to have given explicit instructions to the officer in charge of the investigation to complete the examinations by mid-March.
In addition to testimonies to be taken, evidence from the St. Modestos firing range, where the accident occurred last Wednesday, will also be examined.
The 23-year-old soldier has suffered amputation of his right hand, while he is reported to have been injured in the eye and face.
He is being treated in a private hospital, where he has undergone surgical procedures. The Chief of the National Guard, George Tsiitsikostas, has visited him.
Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas has also had telephone contact with the parents of the 23-year-old, who came to Cyprus from the very beginning.
