India summoned Ukraine's Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following an attack on the commercial vessel MV OMORFI. This incident resulted in the death of an Indian national. The MEA conveyed its deep concern and strongly condemned attacks on commercial shipping, emphasizing that such actions threaten maritime navigation, freedom of navigation, and international trade.
The vessel, sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, was reportedly hit by drones fired by Ukraine on July 18 while transiting the Black Sea in Russian territorial waters. India urged the Ukrainian envoy to convey New Delhi's strong concerns to Ukrainian authorities, stressing that attacks endangering innocent civilian seafarers are unacceptable and must not be repeated. This marks at least five Indian nationals killed this month in strikes from both sides in the Black Sea during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The MEA reiterated its stance that attacks targeting commercial shipping and placing civilian crew members at risk are unequivocally condemned. India also highlighted that the increasing threats to freedom of navigation and international commerce are a serious concern. It called upon all involved parties to uphold their international obligations to ensure the safety and security of maritime navigation and the uninterrupted flow of global trade.
This incident follows another attack on July 19 on the MV Golden Leo, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel, shortly after it departed Ukraine’s Odesa port. Additionally, a merchant vessel, MV AGN Ragnar, carrying four Indian nationals, was struck at Ukraine's Port of Odesa on July 25, with two crew members confirmed safe and the fate of the other two still awaited. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv is monitoring this situation and assisting affected nationals.
