Kremlin Confirms Contact with New Delhi After Four Indian Citizens Lose Their Lives in Russian Missile Attack on Black Sea Cargo Vessel

A missile whizzed across the Black Sea on Tuesday and slammed into the cargo vessel MV Golden Leo as it slipped out of the Ukrainian port of Odesa. The strike, which Ukrainian officials say was carried out with three cruise missiles, left at least ten dead, including four Indian nationals and several crew members from other countries.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) moved quickly. Within hours, it summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires in New Delhi, Vladimir Ladanov, to the foreign ministry’s doorstep. In a terse but firm statement, Indian officials said they were delivering an “unequivocal condemnation” of the attack and voiced “grave concerns” over the loss of Indian lives.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, announced that it had already been in touch with Indian authorities. “We are in contact with the Indian side regarding the incident,” Peskov said, adding that Moscow was monitoring the situation closely and was ready to cooperate on any humanitarian assistance that might be needed.

The ship, flagged to Guinea‑Bissau and named Golden Leo, was reportedly carrying a mixed crew of Indian and Syrian sailors, among others. The MEA confirmed that, besides the four who perished, another Indian citizen was critically injured and rushed to a hospital in Ukraine. “Our mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation and is making every effort to extend all possible assistance to those affected,” the ministry said, expressing condolences to the families of the deceased and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.

Russia’s military did not immediately respond to queries about why the vessel was targeted. Kyiv, on the other hand, blamed the attack on a “mistake” that could have been avoided if better coordination had been in place, but stopped short of accusing Moscow of deliberate intent.

The incident has added a fresh wrinkle to the already complex web of India‑Russia relations. While New Delhi maintains a strategic partnership with Moscow, especially in defence and energy, the loss of its citizens overseas is always a sensitive issue. Experts say the Kremlin’s quick outreach is meant to reassure India and keep diplomatic channels open, lest the episode snowball into a larger diplomatic rift.

For now, both sides appear to be managing the fallout quietly. India is pressing for consular support and medical aid for the injured sailor, while Moscow is emphasizing its willingness to cooperate. The tragedy, however, serves as a stark reminder of how civilian shipping routes in the Black Sea have become increasingly perilous amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.