Ukraine Apologizes to Greece Over Armed Sea Drone Found Near Lefkada

The Ukrainian government has issued an official apology to Greece following the discovery of an armed Ukrainian unmanned surface vessel (USV) within Greek territorial waters. 

An apology attributed to wartime circumstances

Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, released an official statement on X addressing the maritime incident near the island of Lefkada. Tykhyi expressed Ukraine’s gratitude to Greece and its citizens for their consistent support since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale Russian invasion.

Addressing the presence of the drone, Tykhyi explicitly clarified the context of the deployment while offering a formal apology.

“Ukraine emphasizes its commitment to the norms of international law and the principles of civilian maritime safety, noting its interest in preventing similar occurrences in the future,” Tykhyi stated. “In this respect, the Ukrainian side expresses its apologies for the incident stressing that it was the result of circumstances brought about by the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.”

The spokesperson added that the drift of military hardware into the Mediterranean demonstrates that the war poses a broader security threat to neighboring friendly states, Europe, and global stability. He reaffirmed Kyiv’s intention to maintain a constructive dialogue and deepen bilateral relations with Athens.

Athens protests Mediterranean military operations

The statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs serves as a direct response to a formal diplomatic protest note delivered by Greece on Wednesday. According to Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lana Zochiou, Athens informed Kyiv that the presence of an active, armed drone created an unacceptable hazard.

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The protest note stated that the vessel posed a serious danger to maritime navigation, risked the loss of innocent lives, and could have caused significant environmental damage.

Furthermore, Greek officials expressed sharp concern over the geographical expansion of Ukrainian maritime operations. The ministry argued that transferring kinetic operations into the Mediterranean Sea, far from the primary theater of war, directly jeopardized Greece’s national security and caused economic damage to regional maritime commerce.

The note concluded by stating that Ukraine’s internationally recognized right to self-defense cannot justify operations that endanger neutral European waters, calling on Kyiv to prevent similar occurrences.

Investigation links vessel to Ukrainian operations

The diplomatic dispute stems from an incident on May 7, when local fishermen spotted a low-profile boat drifting with its engines running near Lefkada. Upon inspection, specialists from the Hellenic National Defense General Staff discovered that the vessel was packed with approximately 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of military-grade explosives.

Greek defense experts concluded that the asset was a Ukrainian-designed “Kossack Mamai” naval drone. Investigators ruled out the possibility of a foreign provocation, determining that the drone had likely lost communication during a multi-vessel Ukrainian operation targeting ships associated with Russia’s “shadow fleet” – the network of unflagged tankers used by Moscow to bypass international oil sanctions.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis briefed EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas on the technical findings and held a direct discussion with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha during an informal European summit in Cyprus. By framing the incident as a shared challenge to maritime security, Tykhyi’s statement seeks to preserve Ukraine’s relationship with a key European partner while acknowledging the operational risks of its long-range naval campaign.