NEW DELHI—India summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires on Tuesday to lodge a formal protest after four Indian nationals were killed in a missile strike on a merchant vessel departing Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa, marking one of the deadliest incidents involving Indian seafarers in the Russia-Ukraine war.
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it conveyed its "grave concern and unequivocal condemnation" over the attack during a meeting with Russian chargé d'affaires Vladimir Ladanov. The ministry said targeting commercial shipping and endangering civilian crews was unacceptable and posed a threat to international maritime safety and freedom of navigation.
According to the MEA, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel Golden Leo was struck while leaving Odesa on Sunday. Ukraine's navy said the ship was hit by three cruise missiles that it attributed to Russian forces. Reuters was not able to independently verify the circumstances of the strike. Russia had not publicly responded to India's protest or commented on the allegations at the time of publication.
The MEA said 17 crew members were aboard the vessel, including five Indian nationals. Four Indians were killed and another remained in critical condition in hospital. The crew also included Syrian nationals, and the attack killed a total of 10 people, according to Indian and Ukrainian authorities.
India said its embassy in Ukraine was coordinating with local authorities and the ship's operators while extending assistance to the injured seafarer and the families of those killed. The government also expressed condolences to the victims' relatives.
New Delhi reiterated its longstanding position that civilian merchant vessels should not be targeted during armed conflict. The MEA said attacks that disrupt commercial shipping undermine international maritime commerce and should be avoided.
The incident comes as fighting around Ukraine's southern ports and Black Sea shipping lanes has intensified, with both Russia and Ukraine conducting attacks affecting maritime infrastructure. Odesa has faced repeated missile and drone strikes in recent weeks amid the broader conflict.
India has maintained diplomatic ties with both Moscow and Kyiv throughout the war while repeatedly calling for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The protest to Russia follows previous diplomatic démarches by New Delhi over attacks involving Indian seafarers in other regional conflicts earlier this year.
