Greece has said it expects an apology from Ukraine following an incident involving a sea drone discovered near the island of Lefkada. Athens called the situation dangerous and warned about risks to shipping in the Mediterranean Sea.
CNN Greece reports this.
The country’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias believes the discovered drone is Ukrainian, that it posed a threat to civilian shipping and could have led to casualties. According to him, Athens knows the type of the device, where it was produced and its purpose.
The investigation’s conclusion regarding the drone was submitted to the office of the Greek prime minister last week. The document contains the technical characteristics of the device.
“I am not going to say what the conclusion contains. But I must say that this was extremely dangerous. If any cruise ship had been traveling from Venice to the Eastern Mediterranean and had ended up in the path of this drone, it would have sunk,” he said.
The issue was discussed during a meeting of NATO ministers, as well as at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. The topic was also raised during a conversation between the Greek foreign minister and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
The Greek defense minister said that Ukraine “owes a big apology” and must guarantee that similar incidents will not happen again. The Greek Foreign Ministry said it is awaiting the official conclusion of the General Staff before possible diplomatic steps.
Athens also stressed that it intends to prevent the Mediterranean Sea from turning into a combat zone.
