Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said he is still awaiting explanations regarding the drone discovered in the Ionian Sea, sending a stern message toward Ukraine during a speech delivered in Agathonisi.

Referring to the incident, Dendias demanded clear explanations from Ukraine over the unmanned vessel recently found near Lefkada, stressing that it posed a direct threat to maritime safety.

“I do not even want to think what a collision between a passenger ship — or any other vessel — and this drone would have meant,” Dendias said, emphasizing that Greece will not allow the matter to be forgotten.

The minister made the remarks during the handover ceremony of new military housing units in Agathonisi, where he also addressed broader defense and housing policy issues.

Military housing program

Dendias described the delivery of the new residences as part of a major nationwide housing initiative for the Armed Forces, aimed at covering the operational and social needs of military personnel, particularly in remote regions such as the Eastern Aegean islands and Evros.

He thanked Eurobank for its €34,000 donation toward furnishing the residences, while noting that the bank has supported the Ministry of National Defence on multiple occasions.

According to the minister, the housing program is intended to ease the financial burden on military families, especially during the summer months when housing costs surge on the islands.

“Subsidy policies do not solve the housing crisis”

Dendias criticized subsidy-based housing policies, arguing that they fail to address the root of the housing problem.

“In simple economic terms, when there is a supply problem, you do not subsidize demand — you solve the supply issue,” he said.

He noted that the Ministry of National Defence is currently constructing and renovating more than 17,000 housing units across Greece as part of its broader strategic agenda through 2030.

The minister also highlighted the importance of supporting military families, saying they often carry invisible burdens linked to service life. He referred to additional support measures, including childcare facilities, subsidized military stores, salary support and assisted living structures for retired military personnel.

National defense and international law

Speaking from Agathonisi, Dendias also referred to what he described as escalating revisionist claims in the region, stressing that Greece remains firmly committed to international law and the Law of the Sea.

“All our islands possess exactly the rights provided for under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea — neither more nor less,” he said.

He added that the Aegean Sea can remain “a space of friendship and coexistence,” provided that all sides respect international legal rules.

Awaiting explanations over the drone incident

Returning to the drone case, Dendias said Greece is still expecting explanations that Ukraine’s Defense Minister had reportedly pledged to provide.

“This issue is extremely serious. The specific vessel carried explosives and endangered maritime navigation safety,” he stated.

According to Dendias, the Ministry of National Defence will forward all findings from the investigation to the Hellenic Coast Guard, which is responsible for maritime policing, before the case is passed on to Greek judicial authorities for further legal action.