Greece Probes Explosive Drone Found Off Lefkada, Suspected Ukrainian Origin

Authorities in Greece have stepped up their probe into how an explosive-laden drone wound up in waters off the country's west coast.

An investigation involving specialized military teams expanded over the weekend when bomb disposal experts blew up the unmanned device at sea.

Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said the drone, suspected to be of Ukrainian origin, almost certainly came from a foreign state, though he did not name the country. "We know what it is, and we more or less know what it contains," he said. Dendias also sought to ease concerns that Greece lacks the military means to counter such technology. "We have nothing to envy, we are creating the possibilities so that our homeland can equip its combat navy with the most developed drones and anti-drone systems that currently exist."

The drone is thought to have come down near the shores of Lefkada, a resort island in the Ionian Sea, after its operators lost control and it drifted off course. A fisher found it in a cave last Thursday.

Fears grew Saturday after reports emerged that the long-range kamikaze drone carried an estimated 100 kilograms of explosives. Officials at the Greek defence ministry declined to confirm it was armed with munitions.

In an age of cheap, lethal drones reshaping combat, the episode spotlighted maritime security risks for an EU state with Europe's longest coastline.

Political opponents swiftly criticized the centre-right government in Athens for failing to prepare for such threats.

On Sunday, Michalis Katrinis, defence spokesperson for the main opposition Pasok party, said: "Mr Dendias has told us he 'knows' [all about the drone] but the Greek people are not allowed to learn anything about its origins, the purposes it served and how it was found, moving unhindered, around Lefkada." Its discovery, he added, showed Greece risked being pulled into active war zones.

The small nationalist Greek Solution party, which backs Russia, called the find proof of a deliberate military provocation.

Experts are inspecting the maritime drone at a naval base on the Greek mainland, where it was taken after discovery. Military sources cited in local media said technicians are checking the robot's serial number and built-in GPS for traces of its origin.

Specialist teams increasingly link the device to the Ukrainian-made Magura V3 naval drone. That points to a theory it targeted Russian oil and gas tankers in the Mediterranean.

Kyiv has acknowledged striking tankers in Russia's shadow fleet to enforce sanctions.

This month, Ukrainian drones sank two ships in the Black Sea, escalating attacks on Russia's energy trade.

Outfitted with satellite communications, Magura V3 drones can haul up to 300 kilograms of explosives. Recent upgrades boost their range and speed: the craft can run for 60 hours at a top speed of 50 mph (80 kph).