By Vasilis Nedos
Athens is sending a message to Kyiv that, following the detection and identification of a Ukrainian naval drone off Lefkada, Ukraine should withdraw any drones that remain undetected and operating far from Greek shores.
Findings
According to well-informed sources speaking to "K," the kamikaze-type drone “Cossack Mamai” is not the only unmanned surface vehicle (USV) of Ukrainian ownership and construction operating in the wider Eastern Mediterranean, but one of many.
A draft report prepared by the Hellenic National Defense General Staff is now in the hands of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who will decide how to use its findings, which make clear that the kamikaze drone was part of a broader mission planned in Kyiv.
The size of these vessels, whose radar signature is no larger than that of a jet ski, makes them extremely difficult, if not impossible, to detect. According to various sources across the relevant services, the naval drone was being transported by a vessel without a fixed base, which has also passed through Libya.
It was only one drone among an unspecified number. According to the same sources, Ukraine had at an earlier stage warned Athens that, for Ukrainian forces, ships belonging to the so-called “shadow fleet” and tankers potentially transporting oil or fuel in violation of sanctions are considered legitimate targets.
However, there is a significant gap between warning and action. Still, the existence of this rather vague warning is said to have drawn the attention of several relevant authorities.
Diplomatic démarche without a policy shift
The report’s findings make clear that the drone is of Ukrainian construction and ownership and linked to a Ukrainian mission, and this three-part assessment will shape Athens’ stance toward Kyiv.
High-level diplomatic sources stress to “K” that Greece is not changing course politically.
Athens remains firmly supportive of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the principle of the inviolability of borders and considers Russia’s invasion a clear violation of international law.
However, it argues that limits must be placed on the activity of naval drones in the Mediterranean, as further escalation could lead to a complete destabilization of the situation.
For this reason, a series of steps is expected to follow.
On the diplomatic front, Athens has already sent messages in all directions that the risks posed by Ukrainian drones to safety and the environment in the seas surrounding Greece cannot be ignored.
Greece’s response will unfold on three levels.
First, a political-level communication, potentially at the highest level, is considered certain in order to provide clarifications.
Mr. Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly maintain good personal communication, despite pending issues between Athens and Kyiv, such as the ratification by the Greek parliament of the Greece–Ukraine security agreement signed in October 2024.
This pending issue is not considered a high priority, particularly as matters such as financial assistance through the EU budget and weapons transfers are not directly linked to the agreement’s implementation.
The second level of response is at the EU level, where there is limited institutional momentum.
Bilateral contacts have already taken place with key allies, including the United States, which has shown particular interest in the case.
Some sources even say that part of the intelligence used to unravel the case came from the US.
Given that Greece is not the only country facing risks from the uncontrolled use of unmanned systems, with similar concerns reported in Finland and the Baltic States, there is considerable understanding among allies, certainly more than that expressed by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, who, in response to recent Greek interventions by Giorgos Gerapetritis and Nikos Dendias, pointed instead to Russian aggression as the main issue.
At the United Nations
A third option is also on the table, under which Greece could use its seat on the UN Security Council to launch an initiative highlighting maritime safety and the risks posed by the uncontrolled use of USVs in civilian and non-conflict areas.
Such an initiative could take various forms, most likely a formal document calling for awareness within the Security Council to prevent accidents and uncontrolled environmental damage.
