Georgiy Tikhy, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, officially apologized to Greece for the incident involving a maritime drone discovered off the coast of Lefkada Island in the Ionian Sea. The statement was published on the social network X on June 5. In the document, the Ukrainian side acknowledged responsibility for the incident, describing it as a "result of circumstances caused by the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine".
Causes and Circumstances of the Incident
According to the publication "Ukrainska Pravda", the drone, carrying about 100 kg of explosives, was discovered by local fishermen back in May. Presumably, the device lost contact with the operator due to a malfunction in the remote control system. According to reports, the target of the attack was supposed to be a ship of the Russian "shadow fleet" cruising in the Mediterranean Sea.
Lefkada Island is located more than 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian coast. Ukraine has no access to the Ionian or Mediterranean Seas, which points to the complex logistics of the operation. The dpa agency reports that the launch of maritime drones could have been carried out from a base in western Libya. Earlier, in early March, a similar attack by Ukrainian maritime drones was recorded near Malta, where a Russian LNG tanker heading to Egypt was shelled.
Reaction of Athens and Kyiv's Position
Greece expressed a diplomatic protest to Kyiv on June 3. Athens made it clear that it will not allow the Mediterranean Sea to become a zone of military action. In response, Ukraine emphasized its commitment to international law norms and principles of safety for civilian shipping, stating its interest in preventing similar incidents in the future.
The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also expressed gratitude to Greece and the Greek people for their unwavering support since the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion. "Ukraine highly values its friendly relations with Greece," noted Georgiy Tikhy. Kyiv is convinced that this incident, like similar cases in other regions, demonstrates that the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine poses a threat not only to Ukraine itself but also to neighboring friendly states, Europe, and the world as a whole.
Prospects for Relations
Despite the tension, the Ukrainian side emphasized its readiness to deepen friendly relations and constructive dialogue in all areas of mutual interest. The drone incident near Lefkada became a serious test for bilateral relations, however, both sides strive to maintain stability and mutual understanding in the context of the ongoing conflict.