We Are In Contact With India: Kremlin Responds After Four Indians Die In Ship Attack

The Kremlin has responded after a Russian missile strike killed four Indian nationals aboard a merchant vessel in the Black Sea, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Moscow remains in touch with New Delhi over the incident. His remarks came hours after India summoned a senior Russian diplomat to lodge a formal protest.

Ukraine's navy said Russian forces fired three Kh-59 or Kh-69 cruise missiles at the MV Golden Leo, a Guinea Bissau flagged bulk carrier owned by a Turkish firm, on the evening of July 19 as it was departing Ukraine's southern port of Odesa carrying a cargo of grain. The missiles struck the starboard side of the vessel's superstructure, triggering a major fire on board. Of the seventeen crew members, which included five Indians along with sailors from Syria, four Indian nationals were killed and a fifth remains hospitalized in critical condition. Ukrainian authorities said eight crew members were rescued, while search and rescue teams worked through the night.

India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the toll on Monday, extending condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing the injured sailor a speedy recovery. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and trade, was deplorable and should be avoided, notably stopping short of directly naming Russia as the perpetrator. Ukraine's navy was less restrained, calling the strike an act of terror against peaceful shipping and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, insisting the unarmed vessel posed no military threat.

On Tuesday, India summoned Vladimir Ladanov, the Russian chargé d'affaires, telling him such attacks undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce. Responding to the protest, Peskov defended Moscow's actions, stating that Russian forces are striking and will continue to strike vessels transporting ammunition and weapons for what he called the Kyiv regime, though no evidence was offered linking the Golden Leo to any military cargo.

The tragedy adds to a growing list of Indian maritime casualties this year, after India also lost seafarers during the recent Iran war and protested those deaths to both Washington and Tehran. The ship, owned by Mumbai based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd, underscores the mounting risks faced by Indian crews who form a large share of global shipping labour, even as New Delhi seeks to balance its ties with Moscow against growing pressure to hold Russia accountable.