Kremlin on Tuesday said that it remains “in touch” with New Delhi after the killing of four Indians in the Russian attack on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea.
The response from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov comes hours after India summoned Russian Chargé d’affaires over the killing of Indian seafarers.
Four Indians were killed and one was critically injured after the vessel – MV Golden Leo – was attacked near the port of Odesa in Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.
The vessel came under attack on the evening of July 19 when it was departing the Ukrainian port with 17 crew members, including five Indians.
“On the evening of July 19, 2026, the vessel MV Golden Leo was attacked while departing the port of Odesa. At the time of the incident, there were 17 crew members on board, including five Indian nationals. As per information available, four Indian nationals have tragically lost their lives, while one is hospitalized in a critical condition,” the MEA said.
India also condemned the attack, reiterating that targeting commercial vessels and endangering civilian lives is deplorable.
“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 and should be avoided,” the MEA added.
Earlier today, India summoned Russia’s Charge d’Affaires Vladimir Ladanov and lodged a strong protest over the attack.
Ministry of External Affairs conveyed India’s “grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation” of the July 19 attack, saying strikes on civilian commercial vessels threatened the safety and stability of international maritime trade.
“The targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided,” the MEA told the Russian diplomat, asking him to convey New Delhi’s concerns to Moscow.