India on Tuesday summoned Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires Vladimir Ladanov to lodge a strong diplomatic protest over the deaths of four Indian nationals in an attack on a merchant vessel off Ukraine, calling the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian lives “unacceptable.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it conveyed India’s “grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation” over the July 19 strike on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel MV Golden Leo, which left four Indian crew members dead and another critically injured.
In a statement on Tuesday, the MEA said the Russian diplomat had been asked to convey New Delhi’s strong concerns to Moscow, stressing that “the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided.”
The ministry said the attack undermined “the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce” and reiterated India’s consistent opposition to attacks on civilian shipping and any impediment to freedom of navigation.
The démarche marks India’s strongest official response since the attack. New Delhi had condemned the strike a day earlier without naming Russia.
The MV Golden Leo was struck while departing Ukraine’s port of Odesa on July 19. The vessel carried 17 crew members, including five Indians. Four were killed in the attack, while the fifth remains in critical condition in hospital.
Ukraine has blamed Russia for the strike.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the vessel, operating through Ukraine’s maritime corridor, was hit while leaving Odesa and described it as another attack on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. Russia has not publicly responded to the allegation.
The Indian Embassy in Ukraine is coordinating with local authorities to assist the injured sailor and the families of those killed.
Reiterating its position, India said attacks on merchant vessels and innocent civilian crew members are “deplorable and should be avoided.”
The incident marks the first reported deaths of Indian seafarers linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict since it began in February 2022.
The tragedy has also renewed concerns over the safety of Indian merchant sailors operating in conflict zones.
In recent months, Indian crew members have been caught in attacks linked to conflicts in West Asia, prompting New Delhi to raise the issue diplomatically and strengthen efforts to improve the safety of Indian seafarers deployed in high-risk waters.
India is among the world’s largest suppliers of merchant seafarers, with more than 300,000 Indians employed across the global shipping industry.
