Four Indians killed, one injured in attack on ship leaving Ukraine’s Odesa, MEA says

Overview

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that four Indian nationals were killed and one injured in an attack on a commercial vessel as it departed Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa. The attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship, named the Golden Leo, occurred on Sunday, according to Ukrainian and Indian officials.

The vessel, carrying grain and crewed by Indian and Syrian nationals, was struck by Russian cruise missiles shortly after leaving port, Ukraine’s navy said. The attack has drawn condemnation from India and prompted fresh warnings from Moscow about further strikes on ships it says are supplying the Ukrainian military.

Attack on the Golden Leo

Ukraine’s navy reported that Russia launched three cruise missiles at the Golden Leo as it was “leaving the combat zone with a cargo of grain,” according to the South China Morning Post. Kyiv’s transport minister, Sergiy Koretsky, said the vessel was struck near Odesa after departing port. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga confirmed that the crew included nationals of Syria and India.

Ukraine’s transport minister, Serhiy Kalashnyk, said in a statement on Telegram that eight crew members were rescued and two were injured. “Unfortunately, as of now, six sailors are confirmed dead, and four more are missing,” he said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also confirmed that a Ukrainian maritime pilot had been killed in the attack.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement posted on X, said the Indian mission in Ukraine is “closely monitoring” the situation and extending assistance to those affected. The ministry extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured Indian national a speedy recovery.

Divergent accounts and evolving tolls

The reports reviewed present differing death tolls and circumstances. Ukraine’s navy reported that Russia launched three cruise missiles at the Golden Leo as it was “leaving the combat zone with a cargo of grain,” killing six people, including Indian and Syrian crew members. The transport minister, Sergiy Koretsky, said the vessel was struck near Odesa after leaving port, and that eight crew members were rescued, two injured, six confirmed dead, and four missing.

A separate account, focusing on a later announcement, said that the same attack on the Golden Leo killed ten people, including four Indians. The discrepancy between the two numbers is not addressed in the provided reports.

In response to the attack, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement on the social media platform X, saying: “India condemns such attacks and reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, is deplorable.” The statement added that India’s mission in Ukraine is “closely monitoring” the situation and extending assistance to those affected.

The Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, said that Russia would continue to strike vessels involved in supplying the Ukrainian military. Peskov did not comment on the civilian casualties or the discrepancy in the reported death toll.

India’s diplomatic response

The attack on the Golden Leo has prompted strong diplomatic reactions from New Delhi. The Indian government summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, on July 27, 2026, in connection with a separate incident: the killing of an Indian seafarer in an attack on the merchant vessel MV OMORFI. According to a report from The Hindu, the vessel was attacked while transiting the Black Sea, reportedly in Russian territorial waters, on July 18. India conveyed its “serious concern” over the incident and condemned such attacks on commercial shipping in the strongest terms, underscoring their adverse impact on maritime navigation, freedom of navigation, and international commerce.

Separately, the Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, stated that Russia would continue to target vessels involved in supplying the Ukrainian military. That statement was made following the Golden Leo attack, according to the report.

India’s advisory to seafarers

In a related development, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory on July 26, 2026, urging Indian seafarers to exercise “utmost caution” when considering assignments in the Black Sea region. The advisory noted that the security situation there “remains highly volatile due to the ongoing conflict,” and that merchant ships are facing “significant security risks, including missile and drone attacks.”

The ministry stated that since April 2026, there has been an increase in such attacks, leading to the “tragic loss of five Indian lives.” It advised seafarers to carefully assess security risks before accepting assignmentsyb, and to ensure that employment terms comply with international maritime standards, including provisions for medical care, evacuation, repatriation, and emergency compensation.

Diplomatic friction with Ukraine

India’s diplomatic engagement has not been limited to Russia. On July 27, 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk to protest the killing of an Indian seafarer in a separate incident involving the merchant vessel MV Omorfi. According to the MEA, the attack on the Omorfi took place in the Black Sea, and the vessel was reportedly transiting Russian territorial waters at the time.

The ministry said it conveyed India’s “strong concern” over the incident and condemned such attacks on commercial shipping “in the strongest terms,” underscoring their impact on maritime navigation, freedom of navigation, and international commerce. The Ukrainian ambassador was asked to convey India’s concern to Ukrainian authorities.

The reported circumstances of these attacks have led to differing attributions. While Ukraine’s navy and officials blamed Russia for the strike on the Golden Leo, the attack on the MV Omorfi has been attributed by Indian officials to Ukrainian drone strikes, according to the provided reports. The Kremlin, for its part, said Russia would continue to target vessels involved in supplying the Ukrainian military.

Key Claims

• Ukraine’s navy reported that Russia fired three cruise missiles at the Golden Leo, which was departing Odesa; the attack killed six people, including Indian and Syrian crew members, with two injured and four missing.
• A separate report from the same period says the attack on the Golden Leo killed ten people, including four Indians.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the deaths of four Indian nationals and one injured in the attack on the Golden Leo, and condemned the targeting of commercial shipping.
• The Kremlin said Russia would continue to strike vessels involved in supplying the Ukrainian military.
• In a separate incident, an Indian seafarer was killed in an attack on the merchant vessel MV Omorfi. India summoned the Ukrainian ambassador over the incident, expressing “serious concern” and condemning attacks on commercial shipping.
• India issued an advisory on July 26, 2026, warning Indian seafarers of heightened security risks in the Black Sea, citing missile and drone attacks and the loss of five Indian lives since April 2026.