India on Tuesday summoned Russia’s Charge d’Affaires following the deadly attack on a merchant vessel off Ukraine’s coast that claimed the lives of four Indian seafarers, according to sources familiar with the development. The Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship, MV Golden Leo, was hit shortly after leaving the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa on Sunday.
A day earlier, India strongly condemned the strike on the commercial vessel, in which 10 crew members lost their lives, and reiterated its opposition to attacks on civilian shipping during armed conflicts. Without directly naming Russia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said targeting commercial vessels and endangering innocent crew members was unacceptable and stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and trade.
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The incident marks the first time Indian seafarers have been killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In recent weeks, New Delhi has also lodged strong diplomatic protests with both Iran and the United States after several Indian sailors died in separate attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
What Happened to MV Golden Leo?
According to the Ukrainian Navy, the MV Golden Leo was struck by three Russian cruise missiles while sailing from Odesa. Ukrainian authorities said the missile attack triggered a fire aboard the vessel.
The MEA confirmed that four Indian nationals were killed in the strike, while another Indian crew member remains in critical condition in hospital.
The general cargo ship had 17 crew members on board, including Indian and Syrian nationals. Ukraine’s seaport authority said nine crew members from the vessel, along with a Ukrainian harbour pilot, were killed in the attack. Reuters, citing LSEG shipping data, reported that the MV Golden Leo is owned by Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd.
