On May 21, 2026, Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias publicly demanded an apology from Ukraine regarding the discovery of a maritime drone off the shores of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea. Greek officials assert that the unmanned drone, identified as a Ukrainian Magura V3, poses a significant threat to civilian maritime traffic.

During a NATO defense ministers' meeting, Dendias highlighted the drone's destructive potential, stating, “If any cruise ship traveling from Venice had collided with this object, it would have sunk to the bottom of the sea.” He emphasized that an incident of this nature could have catastrophic consequences, and that Greece requires absolute assurances that such occurrences will not recur.

The drone, reportedly carrying around 100 kilograms of explosives, was discovered by Greek fishermen and led to immediate concern over how it could have entered Greek territorial waters. Dendias expressed frustration, noting that this incident reflects serious lapses in operational safety during ongoing military operations involving unmanned vessels.

Greece has brought this matter to the attention of NATO and the European Union, seeking formal assurances from Kyiv on future maritime safety and operational protocols. "Ukraine owes us a very big apology, and beyond that, it must ensure that something like this will never happen again in our waters," Dendias asserted.

The Greek Foreign Ministry is currently awaiting a comprehensive report from the General Staff of Greek Armed Forces before taking subsequent diplomatic actions. Spokeswoman Lana Zohiou labeled the event as "particularly serious," indicating the potential for diplomatic strain between the two nations.

While Ukraine has not confirmed the drone's specific deployment context, it has expressed openness to cooperating with Greece to clarify the situation if formally requested. This incident underscores the fragile balance in the Mediterranean region as naval operations continue amid existing geopolitical tensions.