Four Indian nationals have been killed in a missile strike on the vessel MV Golden Leo while departing the port of Odesa in Ukraine on Sunday evening. One other Indian sailor remains in hospital in critical condition.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the casualties in an official statement, noting that the vessel carried 17 crew members, including five Indians, at the time of the attack.

The MEA expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and assured that India’s mission in Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation. The government has pledged to extend all possible assistance to those affected and wished the injured sailor a full and speedy recovery.

The Ministry strongly condemned the attack, stressing that targeting commercial shipping and endangering civilian crew members is deplorable and must be avoided. It reiterated India’s position that freedom of navigation and commerce should never be impeded.

The Ukrainian Navy accused Russia of launching the strike against the Golden Leo, a Guinea‑Bissau‑flagged bulk carrier owned by Turkey. According to its statement, Russian forces fired three Kh‑59/Kh‑69 cruise missiles at the vessel while it was carrying a cargo of grain out of the combat zone. The missiles struck the starboard side of the superstructure, igniting a fire on board. The Navy reported that five people were killed, while the fate of another five crew members remains unknown.

Search operations were immediately launched, with units of the Ukrainian Navy and the Maritime Search and Rescue Service deployed to assist. By late Sunday evening, eight crew members had been evacuated to a hospital in Odesa.

The technical condition of the vessel is still being assessed as emergency teams continue their work. The Ukrainian Navy condemned the strike as an act of terror, describing it as a deliberate attack on an unarmed civilian vessel flying a foreign flag. It emphasised that the ship posed no military threat and that the attack was a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

The incident highlights the growing dangers faced by civilian shipping in the Black Sea region. Odesa, a critical port for Ukraine’s grain exports, has repeatedly been targeted during the ongoing conflict. The Golden Leo was reportedly part of a program to transport grain shipments under international monitoring, aimed at stabilising global food supplies. The strike has raised fresh concerns about the safety of merchant vessels and the vulnerability of Indian nationals serving aboard foreign‑flagged ships in conflict zones.

India has consistently opposed military actions that endanger civilian maritime traffic, pointing out that thousands of Indian sailors form a vital part of the global shipping workforce. The government is coordinating with Ukrainian authorities, seafarer unions, and international partners to ensure the safety of its nationals and to press for accountability in this latest attack.

ANI