India Condemns Attack on Black Sea Ship: Four Indian Lives Lost

India expressed deep concerns after a missile strike by Russia killed four Indians on the Black Sea cargo ship Golden Leo. The vessel, manned by an Indian and Syrian crew, was targeted by three missiles while leaving a Ukrainian port, prompting India to summon the Russian diplomat.

India has summoned a senior Russian diplomat in response to a tragic missile strike that claimed four Indian lives on a Black Sea cargo ship. The strike, executed by Russia and confirmed by Ukraine, targeted the Golden Leo, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship with a crew composed of Indians and Syrians. This grave incident involved three cruise missiles launched on Sunday, resulting in a total of 10 fatalities, including four Indians.

The Russian chargé d’affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, faced India's Ministry of External Affairs, where he was urged to convey the strong objections from the Indian government. The ministry's statement emphasized that the targeting of commercial ships and the consequential civilian casualties are "unacceptable" and pose a threat to international maritime commerce.

Moscow, represented by Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, maintained communication with India regarding the issue. Peskov justified Russia's military actions as efforts against vessels involved in transporting arms for Ukraine. The Golden Leo, owned by the Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd, adds to the list of maritime incidents affecting Indian seafarers, reminiscent of India's previous protests against losses in the Iran-U.S. conflict.