Georgiy Tikhyy, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, officially conveyed apologies to Athens on behalf of Kyiv for the incident involving a sea unmanned aerial vehicle found off the coast of Greece. The event took place near the island of Lefkada, where the drone was discovered by a local fisherman. In his statement published on the social network X, the Ukrainian diplomat linked the incident to circumstances caused by the ongoing aggression of Russia.
Causes of the incident and Kyiv's position
Georgiy Tikhyy emphasized that the appearance of a Ukrainian sea drone in Greek waters was a result of forced circumstances generated by the war. The MFA spokesperson noted that such incidents, occurring not only in this region but also in other locations, indicate that Russian aggression poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to neighboring friendly states, Europe, and the international community as a whole.
The statement also expressed gratitude to the Greek people for their unwavering support of Ukraine since the first days of the full-scale invasion. Kyiv highly values friendly relations with Athens and reaffirms its commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and constructive dialogue.
Consequences for maritime security
The Ukrainian side expressed concern over current challenges in the field of international and regional security, particularly issues regarding maritime navigation and the activities of Russia's shadow fleet. These issues cause concern for both Kyiv and Athens. Ukraine emphasized its readiness to comply with international law norms and principles of civilian maritime safety, striving to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Chronology of events
Recall that the incident occurred on May 7. On that day, a Greek fisherman discovered a sea drone in a coastal cave near Lefkada island. After discovery, the unmanned vehicle was towed to port and then transferred to a naval base. The explosive material that the drone may have been carrying was destroyed.
Immediately after this, the Greek Minister of Defense Nikos Dendias declared a threat to navigation in the area of his shores and demanded official apologies from Ukraine for the incident. Kyiv's response came in the form of a statement by MFA spokesperson Georgiy Tikhyy.