India on Tuesday summoned the Russian Chargé d’Affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, following the death of four Indian crew members in an attack on a Guinea-Bissau-flagged merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine.
The Ministry of External Affairs lodged a strong protest, saying the “loss of innocent civilian lives is unacceptable.”
In a press release, it said: “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, emphasizing that such attacks undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce.”
It added: “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.”
According to the ministry, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine is actively monitoring the situation while coordinating support for those affected.
According to reports, there were 17 crew members, including five Indian nationals, when Russia attacked the civilian vessel navigating Ukraine’s maritime corridor.
The Ukrainian Air Force said the vessel was hit by Russian cruise missiles.
