India Summons Ukrainian Ambassador After Attacks on Merchant Vessels Carrying Indian Crew

India has summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk after a vessel carrying Indian  seafareres was targeted in the conflict-hit Black Sea region.

The diplomatic action came after the MV AGN Ragnar was struck at Ukraine’s Port of Odesa on Saturday. According to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv, the vessel was hit while it was at the port, a major Black Sea shipping hub that has repeatedly been exposed to attacks since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022.

India Issues Black Sea Employment Advisory

Amid the deteriorating security situation, the Indian government has issued an advisory asking nationals to carefully evaluate the risks before accepting employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea.

The advisory said the maritime security situation in and around the Black Sea remained “highly volatile” because of the continuing conflict. Merchant vessels in the region face threats from missile and drone attacks, it added.

According to the advisory, the number of incidents involving commercial ships has increased since April 2026, resulting in the deaths of five Indian nationals.

Indian seafarers considering assignments in the region have been advised to obtain complete information from employers, recruitment agencies and ship operators about the vessel’s proposed route, ports of call, security arrangements, insurance cover and emergency procedures.

Ukraine Says Russia Responsible for Maritime Threats

The Ukrainian Embassy in India expressed concern on the increased military action of Russia in the region.

The embassy, in a press release, said Russian attacks in the Black Sea during 2025 and 2026 had caused civilian casualties among seafarers, maritime pilots and merchant-vessel crew members. It said the incidents included strikes on port infrastructure and ships using Ukraine’s maritime export corridor.

Ukraine maintained that the risks to civilian navigation could be reduced through an immediate response to preventive security warnings issued for the region.

“Throughout the war, Ukraine has consistently warned its international partners, including senior Indian officials, about the growing threats to civilian navigation arising from Russia’s actions in the Black Sea,” the embassy said.

It added that Ukraine had also informed partner countries about measures being taken to prevent the movement of military cargo and disrupt logistical routes supporting Russia’s military operations.

According to the embassy, these concerns were formally raised before the International Maritime Organization through circular letters issued on June 12 and June 26.

Ukraine Offers Condolences, Seeks Ministerial Talks

Ukraine also extended condolences to the families of the Indian nationals killed in the region. The embassy noted that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressing sympathy over the deaths.

Ukraine said it hoped the foreign ministers of the two countries would speak soon to discuss the security situation in the Black Sea.

“The only sustainable way to restore maritime security is to increase international pressure on the Russian Federation to end its attacks on civilian shipping,” the Ukrainian Embassy said.

Earlier Attack and Russian Envoy Summon

The Odesa incident occurred days after four Indian seafarers were killed in a Russian attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo.

Following the deaths, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires, Vladimir Ladanov, to register India’s concerns. He was called in as the Russian ambassador was away from New Delhi.