In an X post which was later deleted, Kiev challenged New Delhi to take a harder stand against Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports
The Ukrainian Embassy in India provoked controversy with an X post on Wednesday subtly pressuring New Delhi to take a harder line on Russia and questioning the safety of Indian sailors. The post was deleted soon afterward.
Thirteen Indian seafarers are stranded aboard the MV Amir1 in Chornomorsk, Ukraine, as Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukrainian ports and other military-related infrastructure.
The Ukrainian Embassy claimed New Delhi had yet to respond to its request for a conversation between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to discuss the situation.
It also shared India’s advisories to its nationals serving on board ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea – both conflict zones that have seen the deaths of Indian sailors – saying they offered “two different levels of protection” and testily asked whether the Russian envoy would be summoned “once again” for further explanations.
The tweet has since been deleted but it was reported on by several India media outlets.
The Indian Foreign Ministry has not commented on the Ukrainian embassy’s tweet.
India had summoned the envoys of both Russia and Ukraine to protest attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea in the last two weeks, in which five Indian sailors have died.
New Delhi also issued a maritime advisory telling Indian seafarers in the conflict zone to exercise utmost caution and take voyage-specific risk assessments before entering the region.
The Black Sea notice and India’s earlier one on the Strait of Hormuz – despite their slightly differing language – are just advisories. Ship owners and captains ultimately decide where their ships go and it is not practical to disembark, and re-embark, sailors while transiting a conflict zone.
In response to India’s earlier protest, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Russia had explained its position to India, and 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.”
Breaking: Ukraine President Zelensky thanks US Senators for bill that threatens India and four other countries with up to 100% tariffs for buying Russian oil and gas pic.twitter.com/jHXeB9URH1
The embassy tweet came soon after Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who is currently in Washington, welcomed the US Senate advancing legislation that would see the top five buyers of Russian energy hit with 100% tariffs on their exports to the United States. India is the second largest buyer of Russian oil.
India’s embassy in Ukraine said on Wednesday that the MV Amir1’s situation has been brought to its attention. “We attach the highest priority to this and are in constant touch with all concerned to ensure safety and security of all Indians onboard,” it posted on X.
A situation regarding MV AMIR1 with Indian seafarers onboard has been brought to our attention. We attach the highest priority to this and are in constant touch with all concerned to ensure safety and security of all Indians onboard. @MEAIndia
Ukraine’s ambassador to New Delhi, Aleksandr Polishchuk, told news agency ANI that “India definitely has a very good relationship with the Russian Federation, and its reputation internationally is very big. We are always asking the Indian government to support us in bringing Russia to the negotiation table.”
