Ukraine apologizes to Greece after sea drone incident near Lefkada island
Heorhii Tykhyi (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Heorhii Tykhyi, on behalf of the country, apologized to Greece for the maritime drone that was discovered near the Greek island of Lefkada. The cause of the incident was the result of circumstances related to Russia's aggression against our country, according to the MFA spokesperson's post on the social media platform X.
Tykhyi emphasized that after the drone incident, the Ukrainian side expresses gratitude to Greece and the Greek people for their steadfast support of Ukraine since the very first days of Russia's full-scale invasion. He noted that Kyiv highly values its friendly relations with Athens.
The spokesperson also added that since the current challenges to international and regional security, particularly maritime security and the activities of Russia's shadow fleet, are a concern for both Greece and Ukraine, Kyiv reaffirms its commitment to the norms of international law and the principles of safety for civilian maritime navigation. The country is interested in preventing similar incidents in the future.
"In this respect, the Ukrainian side expresses its apologies for the incident stressing that it was the result of circumstances brought about by the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine," wrote Heorhii Tykhyi.
According to him, the Ukrainian side is convinced that this incident, as well as similar ones in other regions, demonstrates that Russia's aggression against Ukraine poses a threat not only to our country but also to other friendly neighboring states, including Europe and the entire world.
"Ukraine remains committed, along with Greece, to further deepening friendly relations between our two countries and developing a constructive dialogue in all areas of mutual interest," the spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry concluded.
What preceded it
On May 7, a fisherman discovered a maritime drone in a coastal cave near the island of Lefkada, after which he towed it to port. The drone was soon transferred to a naval base, and the explosives it may have been carrying were destroyed.
After this incident, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias stated that there was a threat to shipping posed by a maritime drone off his country's shores. He also demanded that Ukraine apologize to Greece for the incident.
