Greek Military Analyses Mystery Naval Drone Found in Ionian Sea Near Lefkada Island
Greek military personnel are investigating a mysterious unmanned naval drone located in the Ionian Sea. Local fishermen discovered the vessel in a cave near the island of Lefkada on Thursday, subsequently alerting the coast guard, which towed it to Vasiliki port.
Reports in Greek media indicate the drone carried explosives and its engine was operational upon discovery. Speculation suggests the vessel may be Ukrainian-made or connected to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with Greece's defence ministry overseeing the analysis.
Social media footage depicts a Greek coast guard boat towing the dark-coloured, several-metre-long drone, which appears to have an open top hatch. No identifying markings are visible in the video. Military experts are tasked with determining its purpose and whether its presence in Greek territorial waters resulted from a technical malfunction or loss of communication.
One theory posits the drone could have been deployed against Russia's 'shadow fleet'—tankers transporting Russian oil and gas to circumvent Western sanctions. Greece’s Ta Nea newspaper claimed the vessel resembles Ukraine’s MAGURA V5 drone, though this has not been independently verified.
Ukrainian sea drones have significantly impacted naval warfare since Russia's 2022 invasion, targeting Russian warships and tankers. In November 2025, Ukraine claimed a naval drone attack against two sanctioned Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea. More recently, in March, Moscow accused Ukraine of striking a sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, in the Mediterranean, thousands of miles from Ukraine's coast, leaving it badly damaged and adrift without a crew.
