India lodges strong protest with Russia over cargo ship attack that killed four Indians (Ld)
New Delhi, July 21
India on Tuesday summoned the Russian Charge d'Affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, to the Ministry of External Affairs and condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo, which claimed the lives of four Indians.
The official was told to convey India's "strong concerns" to the Russian authorities about the targeting of commercial shipping, which resulted in loss of civilian lives, according to the statement released by the MEA.
"Today, the Russian Charge d'Affaires, Mr Vladimir Ladanov, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Ministry conveyed India's grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation of the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo on 19 July 2026, which resulted in the tragic loss of four Indian lives, emphasising that such attacks undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce," the MEA said in a statement.
"The Russian Chargé d'Affaires was requested to convey India's strong concerns to his authorities that the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided," it added.
According to the MEA, on the evening of July 19, the vessel MV Golden Leo was attacked while departing the port of Odesa. At the time of the incident, there were 17 crew members on board, including five Indian nationals.
Condemning the attack, the Ministry said, "As per information available, four Indian nationals have tragically lost their lives, while one is hospitalised in a critical condition. Our Mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and is making every effort to extend all possible assistance to those affected. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased Indian nationals and wish the injured Indian national a speedy and full recovery."
"India condemns such attacks and reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, is deplorable and should be avoided," it added.
A Russian missile struck the Turkish-owned cargo vessel Golden Leo, killing 10 people, Kyiv Post reported.
The Ukraine Air Force said that three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles were launched by Russian forces and one missile struck the starboard side of the Golden Leo, the merchant vessel sailing under the Guinea-Bissau flag, igniting a fire. Eight sailors were rescued and taken to hospital in Odesa.
On Sunday, the Russian Ministry of Defence said, "Throughout the day, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued carrying out strikes against Ukrainian ports and vessels operating in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU)."
It stated that anti-ship Oniks missiles, air-launched cruise missiles, and loitering munitions hit port infrastructure targets.
Among the targets, it listed, "Two bulk carriers carrying military cargo at anchorage off the Port of Odesa."
— IANS
Reader Comments
Absolutely unacceptable. Our sailors are innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of someone else's war. I'm glad our MEA is taking a strong stance. The fact that this is a Turkish-owned vessel under a Guinea-Bissau flag shows how international maritime trade is being endangered.
India needs to be more careful about its citizens working in conflict zones. While condemning is necessary, we also need to ensure our people are evacuated from dangerous areas. The government should issue advisories to Indian seafarers about these risks.
As an American, I stand with India on this. Targeting commercial ships is a war crime under international law. My condolences to the families of the deceased Indian sailors. This war has gone on too long with too many innocent victims.
This is very sad. Indian sailors are the backbone of global shipping and we've lost four breadwinners. The government should negotiate with Russia and Ukraine for safe passage of Indian seafarers. Enough is enough.
Heartbreaking. My thoughts are with the families. While I understand India's diplomatic balancing act between Russia and the West, this is a moment where we must speak unequivocally. Any attack on civilians is wrong, period.
N Naveen S