well, since the Brits have a base on the southern end of Cyprus with 3000 troops stationed, I would guess you strategists would expect Russia to build its conjectured “military base” in the Turkish enclave
Like this all fits together
all Russia has wanted from Cyprus is a “safe” place for the new money (old KGB and mafia) to park its money. I doubt the conjecture the Russians are manuevering the EU/Germans into changing the terms of their offshore banking arrangement. If Putin knew this was coming, the Russian money in Cyprus banks would have been gone last week
There’s a Russian presence in the TRNC, albeit a civilian one. The Turks there grumble about “Russian gangsters and their Natasha’s” or “Russian mafiosi and their peroxide molls.”
I don’t think Putin knew this was coming, or as you said, the money would’ve been gone sometime last week. There were rumors last week, however, that something like this was in the works, so it’s possible some far-sighted Russians got their money out of their and moved it to London, Frankfurt, etc.
A little bird just whispered into my ear that all banks are to remain closed until Tuesday, March 26th.
Little bird being a friend/former student in Famagusta, TRNC who works in the banking sector.
She’s heard it through the financial grapevine, but she cannot guarantee its accuracy.