Greek authorities remain on high alert after the discovery of a naval drone near Lefkada, with reports suggesting the unmanned vessel may have been carrying explosives.
It was confirmed earlier that the vessel is a Ukrainian-made MAGURA V3 unmanned surface vehicle (USV).
According to reports by Greek newspaper Kathimerini and testimony from fishermen who found it, the naval drone was discovered inside a cave with its engines still running, indicating it may have remained operational and on standby.
Bomb squad removes detonators
Army bomb disposal experts removed detonators from the vessel on Tuesday morning, while Coast Guard personnel later disabled its batteries to stop the engines.
Authorities are expected to transport the drone to military facilities for further inspection in order to determine whether explosives were inside the vessel. No official confirmation has yet been given.
An official briefing from the Greek Armed Forces is expected.
Shadow fleet scenario under examination
One scenario being examined by investigators is whether the unmanned vessel was linked to planned attacks against ships belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, used to transport Russian oil while bypassing Western sanctions.
Several similar incidents have been reported in recent months.
In December, the Russian tanker Qendil was reportedly attacked, while in March the Russian vessel LNG Arctic Metagas suffered severe damage following an explosion southeast of Malta.
Dendias raises concerns over maritime safety
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed on Tuesday that the sea drone discovered near Lefkada a few days ago was Ukrainian.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU defence ministers in Brussels, Dendias described the incident as “an extremely serious issue” affecting both the freedom and safety of navigation.
Greece to brief EU defence ministers
Dendias said discussions at the meeting would focus on European defence, the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure and the wider situation in the Middle East.
He added that Greece would also brief European counterparts, with Ukraine’s defence minister participating via teleconference, on findings related to the unmanned surface vessel (USV).
“This is clearly a Ukrainian USV,” Dendias stated.
Concerns over navigation security
According to the Greek minister, the presence of the sea drone raises serious concerns about maritime security and freedom of navigation in the region.
“You understand that the presence of this sea drone affects the freedom of navigation and also impacts navigation safety. This is an extremely serious matter,” he said.
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