The MEA said it conveyed India’s “grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation” of the attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel on Sunday.
It told Ladanov that such attacks “undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce,” and asked him to relay India’s concerns to Moscow, stressing that targeting commercial shipping and killing civilians “are unacceptable and must be avoided.”
#WATCH | Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summons Russian Charge d’Affaires (CDA) Vladimir Ladanov. pic.twitter.com/6t5wBRm6UZ
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2026
This marks the first instance of Indian seafarer deaths in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Ship Under Fire
MV Golden Leo was attacked on the evening of 19 July while departing Odesa port, and was struck by Russian cruise missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The vessel had 17 crew members, including five Indians and Syrian nationals. Four Indians died, while a fifth remains hospitalised in a critical condition.
The MEA said India’s mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and extending all possible assistance to those affected, and offered condolences to the families of the deceased, along with wishes for the injured crew member’s recovery.
MEA Stops Short of Naming Russia
In its statement, the MEA did not directly name Russia, saying only that India “condemns such attacks” and that targeting commercial shipping or impeding freedom of navigation “is deplorable and should be avoided.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, however, said Russia attacked the civilian vessel while it was navigating Ukraine’s maritime corridor.
The incident adds to a string of attacks on civilian shipping. Merchant vessels use a Black Sea corridor Ukraine set up to export goods, one increasingly targeted amid the ongoing war.
Separately, at least 13 Indian seafarers have died near the Strait of Hormuz in attacks by Iranian and American forces, prompting India to summon US and Iranian diplomats over similar concerns.