Image for representation purposes only India on Monday condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo that killed four Indian seafarers and critically injured another after the ship was struck while leaving Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa, calling attacks on commercial shipping and civilian crews “deplorable”. The attack is the first in which Indian merchant seafarers have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine’s maritime export corridor has faced repeated attacks in recent weeks, increasing risks for commercial shipping in the Black Sea. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MV Golden Leo was attacked on the evening of July 19 while departing Odesa. There were 17 crew members on board, including five Indian nationals. “As per information available, four Indian nationals have tragically lost their lives, while one is hospitalized in a critical condition,” the ministry said in a statement. The MEA said the Indian Embassy in Ukraine was closely monitoring the situation and providing all possible assistance to those affected. “India condemns such attacks and reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, is deplorable and should be avoided,” the ministry said. It also extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured Indian seafarer a speedy recovery. The Indian government did not identify who carried out the attack. Ukrainian authorities blamed Russia. Ukraine’s Air Force said the vessel was hit by Russian cruise missiles, causing a fire on board. The Ukrainian Navy said three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles struck the starboard side of the ship’s superstructure shortly after it left Odesa carrying a cargo of grain. Ukraine’s seaport authority said 10 people were killed, includ