After the independence the interests of Soviets
in Cypriot affairs became strategic.
They wanted to use the communist party AKEL.
The target was double:
-Cyprus had to be non-aligned
-Turkey should be detached from NATO.
It was a failure for both.
Cyprus solved this problem only in 2004
with its integration to the European Union.
Turkey is still in an equilibrium.
But let’s go back to 1964.
For Soviets, the 1964 crisis in Cyprus
was only an excuse
for NATO to occupy the island.
1965: Delivery of Soviet arms and equipment.
1967: Importation of Czech arms.
1970: Close diplomatic, commercial and cultural relations with the Soviet Union.
1971: Invitation of Makarios: visit of Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and talk with Andrei Gromyko.
1972: Enlargement of military capabilities with arms from Czechoslovakia.
1973: AKEL received $140,000 from Soviet Union
1974: On the request from AKEL, the Soviet Union secretly sent Cyprus guns and cartridges to protect the party leaders.