Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said he will brief his EU counterparts in Brussels on what he described as confirmed evidence that the unmanned maritime drone recovered off the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea is of Ukrainian origin.
Arriving at the meeting of EU defence ministers on Tuesday, 12 May, Dendias stated that he would inform fellow ministers — in the presence of Ukraine’s defence minister — that the vessel identified in Greek waters was a Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicle (USV).
“The presence of an unmanned maritime vehicle directly affects the freedom and security of navigation,” Dendias said, describing the incident as “an extremely serious matter.”
The discovery of the drone has heightened concern within the Greek government over maritime security in the eastern Mediterranean and Ionian regions, particularly given the broader implications for civilian shipping routes and regional stability.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis also addressed the incident while arriving at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday, 11 May, calling the appearance of the unmanned vessel in the Ionian Sea “a particularly serious development.”
According to Gerapetritis, an investigation led by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff is currently underway. He added that once the inquiry is completed and the necessary technical findings have been established, the Greek government will respond through the appropriate diplomatic channels.
