A mysterious unmanned naval drone was found by Greek fishermen in a sea cave near the island of Lefkada, in the Ionian Sea, triggering an investigation into possible connections with Ukrainian operations in the Mediterranean.
According to reports from Greek media outlets, the approximately five-meter-long vessel was discovered with its engine still running. The vehicle was towed to a nearby port before the Hellenic Coast Guard took over the incident and transported the drone for analysis.
Experts consulted by local media said the equipment resembles Ukrainian maritime drones from the Magura family, used in attacks against Russian vessels in the Black Sea since the beginning of the war against Russia.
This information was later confirmed by Kathimerini, which stated that the boat was identified by officials as a Ukrainian Magura V3. Initial findings indicated that the unmanned vessel contained detonators, but no explosives, easing Athens’ initial concerns.
The Greek government is now investigating how the vehicle reached the country’s waters and what its possible objective may have been. Analysts cited by the European press have raised the hypothesis that the drone could be related to operations against ships from the so-called “shadow fleet”, a fleet used by Russia to transport oil and circumvent international sanctions.
The case has also heightened concerns about the geographic expansion of the use of naval drones in the context of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Until now, this type of vessel had been used mainly in the Black Sea, but the appearance of the vehicle in the Mediterranean has raised questions about the reach of these operations.
Photo: Reproduction / iefimerida. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
