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Ukraine Apologizes to Greece Over Sea Drone Incident Near Lefkada
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Ukraine has formally apologized to Greece following the discovery of a sea drone near the Greek island of Lefkada, while emphasizing that both countries share concerns about maritime security and Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
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According to a statement published by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi on June 6, Kyiv expressed regret over the incident and reaffirmed its commitment to international law and civilian maritime safety. The statement came after weeks of diplomatic exchanges between Athens and Kyiv regarding the unmanned surface vessel found in Greek waters in May.
Following the incident involving a sea drone found near the Greek island of Lefkada, the Ukrainian side expresses its gratitude to Greece and the Greek people for their steadfast support of our country since the very first days of Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine highly…
— Heorhii Tykhyi (@SpoxUkraineMFA) June 5, 2026
“Ukraine emphasizes its commitment to the norms of international law and the principles of civilian maritime safety, noting its interest in preventing similar incidents in the future. In this context, the Ukrainian side expresses its apologies for the incident, emphasizing that it was the result of circumstances caused by the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Tykhyi said.
The Foreign Ministry also thanked Greece for its support since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion and stated that Ukraine remains committed to strengthening bilateral relations and maintaining dialogue on issues of mutual interest.
According to Tykhyi, maritime security challenges and the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet are matters of shared concern for both Ukraine and Greece. He added that the Lefkada incident demonstrates how Russia’s war against Ukraine can create security risks beyond Ukraine’s borders.
The drone was discovered near Lefkada in the Ionian Sea on May 7. Initial reports in Greek media suggested it resembled a Ukrainian Magura maritime drone. Some reports also claimed the vessel may have carried more than 100 kilograms of explosives.
However, Ukrainian manufacturer UForce later rejected those claims, stating that the drone was not one of its products and noting that the alleged Magura V3 model referenced in early reports does not exist.
According to Greek media reports cited in previous coverage, investigators later concluded that the vessel was more likely a Ukrainian-made “Kozak Mamai” unmanned surface vehicle rather than a Magura drone. Greek outlets also reported that authorities were examining whether the drone may have been connected to broader operations targeting vessels associated with Russia’s shadow fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The discovery prompted criticism from Greek officials. On May 14, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis stated that “any transformation of the Mediterranean into a theater of military operations will not be tolerated.” A week later, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias called on Ukraine to provide an official explanation and apology, arguing that the incident posed potential risks to civilian shipping.
Athens subsequently submitted a formal diplomatic protest to Kyiv, expressing concerns that the presence of the drone in Greek waters could have endangered maritime traffic far from the front lines of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Earlier, a similar incident occurred in May when a Ukrainian drone entered Estonian airspace and was shot down by NATO aircraft. Ukraine later acknowledged the drone belonged to Ukraine and apologized to Estonia, saying the incident was caused by Russian electronic warfare interference.
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