Ukraine on July 29, 2026 accused Russia of endangering Indian seafarers, saying continued missile and drone strikes on civilian vessels and port infrastructure in the Black Sea have put their lives at risk. The Ukrainian Embassy in India issued a strongly worded statement the same day and asked whether New Delhi would again summon the Russian representative to seek an explanation for attacks that, Ukraine says, continue to threaten Indian sailors.
The embassy said 13 Indian crew remain stranded aboard the Marshall Islands‑flagged MV AMIR 1 at the Port of Chornomorsk and are under continuing threat from missile and drone strikes. “Russia’s actions have already caused deaths and injuries among Indian seafarers in the Black Sea,” the embassy said, adding that Ukrainian authorities were in close contact with the Indian Embassy in Kyiv and were providing all possible assistance to the affected crew.
Kyiv also said it had requested a telephone conversation between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss Black Sea security, but that the request had not received a response. The embassy posted its warnings on X on July 29, 2026, underscoring what it described as a deteriorating security situation for civilian shipping.
The Ukrainian statement urged Indian authorities to compare two advisories from the Directorate General of Shipping — one for the Strait of Hormuz issued on July 15, 2026, and another for the Black Sea issued on July 23, 2026 — suggesting the latter may not fully reflect the level of danger faced by Indian seafarers. The embassy referenced a recent call from the Forward Seamen’s Union of India for stronger protections for sailors working in conflict zones and added, “We share its concerns.”
The remarks came two days after New Delhi summoned the Ukrainian envoy on July 27, 2026, following the death of Chief Officer Sagar Gupta, who was killed when the MV OMORFI was struck on July 18, 2026 near Novorossiysk in the Black Sea — an incident the Forward Seamen’s Union of India described as a Ukrainian drone strike. Ukraine, for its part, has blamed Russia for creating an increasingly hazardous environment for civilian shipping and has urged India’s Ministry of External Affairs and maritime authorities to reassess and strengthen measures to protect Indian seafarers.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/ukraine-asks-if-india-will-summon-russian-envoy-again-as-13-indian-seafarers-remain-stranded-14034747.html
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Publish Date: 2026-07-29 19:23:00
