**Title: Activation of Security Breach Protocol at British Bases ‘a Test’**
On Wednesday morning, the British military activated "Operation Wideawake," its protocol for responding to security breaches, at the Akrotiri air force base in Cyprus. However, British bases spokeswoman Korina Orphanides clarified that this activation was merely a test and not a response to an actual security incident.
Orphanides explained that routine precautionary measures necessitate regular testing of security protocols. "This was tested this morning at RAF Akrotiri," she stated. Personnel stationed at the base were informed of the operation's initiation and instructed to inspect their working areas for any suspicious items, reporting anything unusual to local emergency services and the British bases’ grounds operations team. During the operation, movement around the station was restricted.
"Operation Wideawake" is typically activated when senior officers suspect a potential breach of security, often related to terrorist threats. The protocol's most notable recent activation occurred in October 2022 when thieves broke into the Larkhill Royal Artillery barracks in England and stole fuel from a tanker.
The timing of this drill comes amid increased scrutiny of British military bases in Cyprus. In March, the Akrotiri base was targeted by an Iranian-made drone, which raised concerns about the security of the facility. The bases have also been utilized as launch points for operations in the Middle East, where British aircraft have engaged and shot down drones linked to Iranian activities during its ongoing conflicts with the United States and Israel.
Following the drone strike on the Akrotiri base, outgoing British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that British bases in Cyprus are not being used by US bombers. However, it has been reported that the drone was aimed at a hangar housing American Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. These aircraft are known to conduct reconnaissance missions over the Middle East from Akrotiri as part of "Operation Olive Harvest."
Concerns about espionage have also surfaced in relation to the Akrotiri base. Prior to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, reports from the British newspaper the Daily Telegraph indicated that "Russian spies" may have acquired properties near the base, potentially to monitor its operations. Further investigations revealed that the drone that struck the base was equipped with a Russian-made Kometa-B navigation system, which had been previously identified in Russian drones intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses.
In a related incident, a dual Azerbaijani and British citizen was arrested in June 2022 on suspicion of espionage, accused of spying on both the Akrotiri base and the National Guard’s Andreas Papandreou airbase in Paphos. Authorities in Greece and Cyprus have linked this case to another Azerbaijani individual who received a jail sentence last month for monitoring a military base on the island of Crete.
The testing of security protocols like "Operation Wideawake" highlights the ongoing vigilance of the British military in Cyprus amid evolving geopolitical tensions and security challenges in the region.