Moscow has responded after India condemned an attack that killed four of its sailors near Odessa
Russia will continue striking ships used to deliver weapons and ammunition to Ukrainian forces, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
He made the statement on Tuesday while commenting on India’s concerns over an attack on the MV Golden Leo near the Ukrainian port of Odessa, which left four Indian sailors dead.
“We are continuing our contacts with our Indian partners and explaining our position,” Peskov told journalists. “The main point is that our armed forces are striking and will continue to strike those vessels involved in transporting ammunition, weapons and so on for the Kiev regime,” he said.
On Sunday, India summoned Russian charge d’affaires Vladimir Ladanov following the attack on the Golden Leo. Indian authorities said the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship, whose crew included Indian and Syrian nationals, was departing Odessa when it was struck.
New Delhi condemned attacks on commercial shipping and threats to civilian lives, and stated that such strikes, as well as “any other obstruction of freedom of navigation and commerce, are reprehensible and must cease.”
The Russian Defense Ministry previously said its forces had attacked ports being used to suppoprt the Ukrainian military. According to the ministry, two vessels carrying cargo for Kiev’s forces were hit in Odessa, along with fuel and lubricant storage tanks. It did not identify the ships by name.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports and shipping in recent weeks, saying the campaign is intended to disrupt the movement of weapons and military equipment to the country.
The Russian Defense Ministry has reported strikes on vessels near Odessa and Snake Island, as well as ships in the ports of Chernomorsk, Yuzhny, and Nikolayev. Moscow said the targets included cargo ships transporting military hardware and vessels used by Ukrainian forces to launch aerial and maritime drones.
