India summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, on 21 July 2026 to lodge a formal protest after a Russian missile strike killed four Indian seafarers aboard the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel MV Golden Leo as it departed the Ukrainian port of Odesa on 19 July. The Ministry of External Affairs conveyed “grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation,” stating that attacks on commercial shipping and the loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and undermine the safety and stability of international maritime commerce.

Ukrainian authorities said the vessel, carrying a cargo of corn and crewed by Indian and Syrian nationals, was hit by three cruise missiles, killing ten people including a Ukrainian harbour pilot. The Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, confirmed it was in contact with New Delhi to explain its position and declared that Russian forces “have struck and will continue to strike” ships involved in transporting ammunition and weaponry for the Ukrainian military. Russian defence ministry statements described a series of strikes on port infrastructure and cargo vessels in the Odesa region that it claims were being used for military logistics.

The incident places fresh strain on the historically close India-Russia relationship. India is one of the world’s largest suppliers of merchant seafarers, with over 320,000 active personnel, and the deaths have triggered domestic calls for stronger diplomatic action. While New Delhi has generally refrained from publicly condemning Moscow since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the summoning of the envoy and the sharp language mark a notable escalation in its diplomatic posture. Viewed from Western capitals, the strike also highlights the growing danger to neutral shipping in the Black Sea, where both sides have intensified maritime attacks. A Norway-based academic, Glenn Diesen, described the Russian campaign as a response to Ukrainian drone and missile strikes on Russian commercial vessels in the Azov Sea.

The MV Golden Leo, owned by a Turkish company, was struck just outside the Odesa Sea Port Control area. Two of the dead Indian crew members have been identified, and the Indian mission in Ukraine is assisting with the repatriation of remains. The Kremlin’s announcement of further strikes raises the prospect of additional casualties among third-country nationals. No joint investigation into the incident has been announced, and the Indian shipping ministry is monitoring the security situation for its seafarers transiting the region.