Greece has formally confirmed that the armed drone found drifting off the island of Lefkada last week is of Ukrainian origin — a finding Defence Minister Nikos Dendias called "extremely serious"
— as Athens briefed EU partners and prepared formal diplomatic demarches over the incursion into its waters.
Speaking outside the EU defence ministers' meeting in Brussels, Mr. Dendias said Greek military experts had reached "certainty" on the vessel's manufacture and that he would brief EU counterparts with the Ukrainian defence minister attending by video call.
The Magura V5 unmanned surface vehicle, carrying roughly 100 kilograms of explosives, was discovered by a fisherman in a coastal cave near Lefkada last week.
Analysts believe the drone drifted off course while targeting Russian shadow-fleet tankers evading oil sanctions in the Mediterranean — a mission Ukraine has previously acknowledged pursuing in the region. Kyiv has not yet officially confirmed the specific vessel's mission.
Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, who on Monday warned the Mediterranean must not become a "theater of military operations," said formal demarches would follow the conclusion of Greece's technical investigation.
Mr. Gerapetritis has briefed EU foreign ministers on the incident, with several partners pledging support.
The Hellenic Coast Guard has intensified patrols along Greece's coastline — the longest in Europe — as the 2026 tourism season opens.