Greece Lodges Protest With Ukraine After Unmanned Naval Drone Found Off Lefkada

Greece lodged a formal diplomatic protest with Kyiv after an unmanned naval drone was found off Lefkada in the Ionian Sea on May 7, with Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lana Zochiou saying the incident was raised with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

“Greece conducts controlled blast of mystery naval drone explosives Greek authorities have rendered safe a naval drone carrying explosives after it was discovered in the Ionian Sea by fishermen”

BBC

The New Voice of Ukraine reported that the drone reportedly carried more than 100 kilograms of explosives and that Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said on May 14 that “any transformation of the Mediterranean Sea into a theater of military operations will not be allowed.”

BBC

The BBC said Greek bomb disposal experts removed detonators and a battery after the drone was discovered in a cave near Lefkada with its engine still running, and it estimated the payload at around 100kg (220lb) of explosives.

The BBC also reported that Ukraine’s military has used naval drones to target Russian warships, tankers and naval bases since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, while Ukraine’s military had so far not commented on the Lefkada discovery.

Greek officials warned that the drone endangered maritime traffic, civilians, the environment, and national security, and GreekReporter said Athens told Kyiv that “The right of Ukraine to self-defense cannot justify such actions.”

The Kyiv Independent reported that Greece informed European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, contacted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and discussed the matter with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha during an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Limassol.

DIE WELT

The BBC quoted opposition defence spokesman Michalis Katrinis saying, “Unfortunately, all Greek women and men are realising that the country is an open vineyard,” while Greece’s Communist party asked in a statement, “What business did the Ukrainian naval drone have in Greek territorial waters?”

DIE WELT reported that Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tychyj apologized on X, saying, “The Ukrainian side apologizes for the incident and emphasizes that it stemmed from circumstances caused by the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine,” and added that Kyiv thanked Greece for support since 2022.

Ukrainian and Greek media coverage of the Lefkada drone included competing claims about its type, with The New Voice of Ukraine saying some Greek media outlets reported it resembled a Ukrainian MAGURA-class sea drone while manufacturer UForce denied that one of its drones had been found in Greece.

“Greece has issued a formal diplomatic demarche to Ukraine after fishermen discovered an armed naval drone off the island of Lefkada on May 7”

GreekReporter

The BBC said Greece’s defence minister Nikos Dendias sought to downplay the significance of the discovery, stating, “Because we know what it is and what it contains, we have nothing to envy,” and it reported that specialist teams were inspecting the drone for clues as to its origin and purpose.

Українська правда reported that Greece’s investigation concluded the drone was Ukrainian and “operating on Ukraine's behalf,” and it said Athens prioritized securing Ukraine’s acknowledgement of the mistake and the withdrawal of all remaining combat drones from the Mediterranean Sea.

The New Voice of Ukraine also reported that Greece’s demarche demanded official explanations and an apology, with Defence Minister Nikos Dendias saying Ukraine must provide official explanations and an apology over the sea drone found near Lefkada, while the BBC said the incident prompted criticism that Greece’s Navy was ill-prepared for a new era of warfare.