New Delhi, July 22 -- India on Tuesday summoned the senior-most Russian diplomat to convey its "unequivocal condemnation" of a Russian attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine that killed 10 people, including four Indian crew members. Russian charge d'affaires Vladimir Ladanov was summoned to the external affairs ministry in full public glare, with TV crews filming his arrival on Tuesday morning. This was the first instance of Indian seafarers being killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ladanov was summoned as the Russian ambassador was away from New Delhi. The ministry "conveyed India's grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation of the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo on 19 July 2026, which resulted in the tragic loss of four Indian lives", an official readout said. The Indian side emphasised to Ladanov that "such attacks undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce", the readout said. The Russian charge d'affaires was "requested to convey India's strong concerns to his authorities that the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided". On Monday, India condemned the Russian attack on the Guinea Bissau-flagged merchant vessel in the Black Sea and reiterated its call for an end to the targeting of commercial shipping during conflicts. More than half a dozen Indian seafarers have also been killed in Iranian and US attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, prompting New Delhi to summon Iranian and American diplomats for strong protests against the deaths. htc...