MEA summons Ukrainian Ambassador over death of Indian seafarer in July 18 ship attack

“The Ambassador was requested to convey to the Ukrainian authorities India’s strong concerns over the targeting of commercial vessels and reiterated that such actions, which endanger the lives of innocent civilian seafarers, are unacceptable and must be avoided,” it said.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has proposed a conversation between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries to discuss the “current security situation in the Black Sea region”.

Last week, MEA had summoned Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires Vladimir Ladanov following the death of four Indian sailors in the attack on the MV Golden Leo off the coast of Odesa on July 19.

With five deaths of Indian seafarers in the region since July 18, India on Sunday issued an advisory urging its citizens to carefully assess the security situation before taking up jobs in maritime zones witnessing conflicts, especially in the Black Sea area.

On Monday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry drew Delhi’s attention to July 24 “Statement on Threats to Foreign Vessels Heading to and from Russian Ports in the Black Sea”.

It said, “Russia’s attacks in the Black Sea caused numerous civilian casualties among seafarers, maritime pilots and crew members of merchant vessels, including during strikes against port infrastructure and ships using Ukraine’s maritime export corridor”.

“The Embassy of Ukraine in India firmly believes that threats and risks to civilian navigation arising from Russia’s aggressive actions in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov can be minimised through an immediate response to any preventive warnings regarding the security situation in the region…,” it said.

“In addition to the letter of condolence addressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr Andrii Sybiha, to the Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Embassy of Ukraine extends its profound sympathy to the families of the Indian seafarers… We hope that, following the relevant proposal made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, a conversation between the foreign ministers of our two countries will take place in the nearest future to discuss in detail the current security situation in the Black Sea region,” it said.

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