Russian Missile Strikes Kill 10 Aboard Cargo Ship in Odesa

Russian cruise missiles struck the MV Golden Leo, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship carrying corn, as it departed the port of Odesa on July 19, 2026. The attack killed 10 people, including nine crew members of Indian and Syrian nationality and one Ukrainian marine pilot. Four of the deceased were Indian nationals, and another Indian crew member remained in critical condition. Eight of the 17 total crew members were rescued following a night-long operation conducted by the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority.

Separately, Russian forces targeted civilian infrastructure in the Odesa region on July 20, including a gas pipeline and fuel storage tanks. These strikes killed six people and injured six others, triggering fires that required emergency intervention.

Andrii Sybiha, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, characterized the maritime strike as an act of maritime terror and a deliberate attempt to turn freedom of navigation into a target of war. India's Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack on the commercial vessel, which is owned by Mumbai-based Ocean Grace Shipping Ltd, calling the targeting of civilian crew members deplorable. The Ministry of Defence of Russia acknowledged strikes against Ukrainian ports and vessels, asserting that the targets were operating in the interests of the Ukrainian military.