From Sochi to the Danube, Black Sea attacks hit Indian crews and trade

Shipping attacks in the Black Sea have intensified. They now stretch from Sochi in the east to the Danube in the west, with drones straying into Romania and Moldova. The attacks have hurt Indian trade. Indian seafarers have also borne the brunt of strikes by both Russia and Ukraine.

Both countries are trade partners of India. Russia is now India’s biggest source of crude oil. Ukraine’s sunflower oil processing and export capacity has been badly hit. India used to import sunflower oil worth more than three-fourths of a billion dollars a year from Ukraine and is seeking to replace it with sunflower oil from other countries such as Russia. The oil is used extensively for cooking especially in south India.

A government note says 32 merchant ships with Indian seafarers on board have been attacked in the Black Sea so far this year. Five Indian seafarers have been killed, six injured and two are missing. Nearly 350 Indian seafarers were on board the 32 vessels. The attacks involved missiles, drones and unmanned surface vessels.

Four ships with Indian crew were attacked in the first week of October alone. On October 5, MV Royad Mammadov was hit by drones in Romania’s exclusive economic zone. It had loaded corn at Izmail, Ukraine’s main Danube port, and was bound for Ravenna in Italy. Ukraine said Russian drones carried out the attack.

The ship caught fire and sank. Romanian authorities said two crew members died and 11 were rescued. One of the three Indians on board was injured. The next day, the engine room of MV Able was damaged and one Indian crew member was hurt.

The tanker Aframax Rio was attacked on October 5 and again on October 6. Its superstructure suffered major damage. None of the 23 Indians on board was injured. A tanker reported to be the same ship was seen burning off Sochi, after a suspected naval drone attack. On October 7, the Russian-flagged MV Kronos was attacked with 19 Indians on board. The note says a helicopter evacuation was under way and no one was hurt. Both the attacks were apparently by Ukraine.

Sanjay Prashar, a former member of the National Shipping Board who is familiar with Black Sea shipping, says the attacks are relentless but controlled. They are meant to hurt each other’s economy without provoking widespread outrage. More recently, he says, the two sides seem to be striking ships in ways that limit harm to seafarers.

Anuradha Chenoy, academic and Russia expert, says India had recently tried to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, with a focus on getting both sides to stop attacking each other’s shipping. But shipping has emerged as key leverage for belligerents across the world, she notes, adding it is unlikely that either Russia or Ukraine will stop attacking the other’s ships, cargoes and ports. 

The situation had escalated between May and July, when oil tankers and cargo ships were targeted. The attacks have raised war-risk insurance premiums and shipping costs. They have also disrupted the movement of crude oil, grain and other essential commodities through the Black Sea.

The deadliest attacks came in July. On July 18, a drone attack on MV Omorfi killed its Indian chief officer, Sagar Gupta of Kanpur. The Ministry of External Affairs said the ship was reportedly in Russian territorial waters. A seafarers’ union blamed a Ukrainian drone.

A day later, missiles struck the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MV Golden Leo as it left Odesa port. Four of its five Indian crew were killed and the fifth was critically injured. Ukraine’s air force said Russian cruise missiles hit the ship. Ukrainian authorities said nine crew members and a Ukrainian pilot were killed in all. Together, the two attacks were the first in which Indian seafarers died in the Russia-Ukraine war.

India summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires on July 21 over the Golden Leo. On July 27, it summoned Ukraine’s ambassador, Oleksandr Polishchuk, over the Omorfi.

Several ships have been hit at or near Ukrainian ports. The crew of MV Victress were rescued to Vylkove, a Ukrainian port in the Danube delta. The Omorfi crew were rescued by the Russian Navy. None of the 32 ships flew the Indian flag.