Turkey's Mavi Vatan-2025 Exercise Sends Strong Message to Greece

Turkey's recent military exercise, Mavi Vatan-2025 (Blue Homeland 2025), has been interpreted as a clear message to its neighbouring countries, particularly Greece, underscoring Turkey's assertive stance in the Aegean Sea.

The exercise, which included a simulated island seizure, reinforces Turkey's ambition to project power in this strategically important region.

According to the Turkish Ministry of Defence, amphibious operations units successfully executed an amphibious landing during the exercise. Helicopters neutralized simulated "hostile" targets from the air, while marines landed using helicopters and ZAHA armoured vehicles, ultimately securing control of the coastline.

While island seizure scenarios are standard military practice, the context of Turkey's "Blue Homeland" doctrine gives this exercise a heightened political significance, sending a direct signal to Greece. This doctrine asserts expansive Turkish maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, often overlapping with Greek territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. It includes an island seizure scenario within Mavi Vatan-2025, which visually and practically demonstrates Turkey's potential to act on these claims despite international disputes and tensions.