Overview
- The Guinea-Bissau‑flagged merchant vessel MV Golden Leo was struck as it departed Odesa on Sunday evening, July 19, triggering a fire, a night‑long rescue and multiple fatalities.
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed four Indian nationals were killed and a fifth is critically injured, and said its mission in Ukraine is providing consular assistance to the victims’ families.
- Ukraine’s navy and seaports authority said the ship was hit by cruise missiles and reported about ten dead and eight rescued, while Russia’s defence ministry has defended attacks on port infrastructure it says aid Ukrainian forces.
- On Tuesday New Delhi summoned Russia’s Charge d’Affaires Vladimir Ladanov, lodged a formal protest and called targeting commercial shipping and civilian crews ‘deplorable,’ demanding explanations and accountability.
- The strike intensifies concerns over safety for merchant vessels and global grain exports that use the Black Sea corridor, and has prompted renewed calls for international monitoring of Ukraine’s ports.