Athens protests to Kyiv over drone with explosives in Lefkada
Greece's Foreign Minister briefed EU officials on findings confirming Ukrainian origin of an explosive-laden drone found near Lefkada, with Athens demanding explanations from Kyiv over the maritime safety threat.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs moved immediately following the conclusions of the investigations into the drone found in Lefkada. Giorgos Gerapetritis briefed Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the informal Foreign Affairs Council held today in Limassol.
According to diplomatic sources, the Greek minister presented the Hellenic National Defence General Staff’s findings confirming the Ukrainian origin of the vessel. At the same meeting, Gerapetritis discussed the matter with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, who was in Limassol as a guest of the Cypriot Presidency.
As Newsbomb reports, an official démarche to the Kyiv government will follow. Athens is showing it will not let the incident go unnoticed and is demanding clear answers.
Dendias: An Extremely Serious Issue
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias had already raised the issue forcefully. From Agathonisi, he stressed that he is awaiting the explanations his Ukrainian counterpart had committed to providing.
The specific vessel carried explosives and posed a danger to the safety of navigation. I don’t even want to think what the collision of a passenger ship or any other vessel with this drone would mean, he stated characteristically.
Dendias reiterated that the ministry will forward the findings and evidence to the Coast Guard, which will submit the file to the prosecutorial authorities for the required actions.
“It is Ukrainian”
In Brussels, the Defense Minister had stated clearly that there is now certainty about the Ukrainian origin of the maritime drone fished out in Lefkada. Speaking before his counterparts at NATO and the EU, he emphasized that the incident affects freedom and safety of navigation and characterized the issue as extremely serious.
Greece has already requested explanations from Ukraine at a high level and continues to insist that it will not let the matter be forgotten. The Coast Guard has taken over the further procedures, while diplomatic pressure from Athens on Kyiv is increasing.
