India summons Russian envoy after missile kills four sailors

India summoned a senior Russian diplomat on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to lodge a strong protest and condemn the deaths of four Indian seafarers in a missile attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine. The incident marks the first reported fatalities of Indian nationals in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The vessel, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MV Golden Leo, was struck on the evening of July 19 while departing the port of Odesa. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the ship had 17 crew members aboard, including five Indian nationals. Four of the Indians were killed, and a fifth remains hospitalized in critical condition. Ukrainian authorities have stated the attack involved three cruise missiles, caused a fire on board, and resulted in a total of ten fatalities, including a Ukrainian maritime pilot. The ship was carrying a cargo of corn.

In New Delhi, Indian officials summoned Russian Chargé d'Affaires Vladimir Ladanov. A government statement said India conveyed its grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation, calling the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives unacceptable and deplorable. The...