New Delhi: The Ukrainian Embassy in India has voiced deep concern over the detention of six of its nationals by India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), terming accusations against them as “orchestrated and politically motivated.”
The arrests took place on Tuesday as part of a multi-team NIA operation targeting seven foreign individuals — six Ukrainians and one US citizen — charged with plotting terrorist acts against India under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), besides additional relevant provisions, amid allegations of cross-border activities.
NIA’s probes centre on uncovering networks that aided the American suspect, Mathew Aaron VanDyke, and the Ukrainian group in reaching Mizoram and slipping into Myanmar. Evidence points to their repeated incursions into Myanmar, starting in 2024, where they purportedly delivered drones, electronic jamming devices, and combat training to insurgent ethnic factions.
The six Ukrainian detainees formed part of a 14-person contingent that ventured into Myanmar, according to officials. Investigators are also tracing whereabouts of the other eight members, as they try to assess whether they are still in Myanmar or have left through Indian territory.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Delhi issued a categoric statement rejecting any state linkage.
“Ukraine firmly rejects any insinuations regarding the possible involvement of the Ukrainian State in supporting terrorist activities. Ukraine is a state that faces the consequences of Russian terror on a daily basis and, for this very reason, takes a principled and uncompromising stance in combating terrorism in all its forms,” the Embassy stated.
“In this context, we express our principled readiness for active cooperation between the competent authorities of Ukraine and their Indian counterparts, in particular on the basis of the existing bilateral Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which provides for the broadest possible measures of mutual legal assistance and interaction through the central authorities of the parties,” the statement added.
Stressing on longstanding ties between the two countries, the embassy concluded: “Ukraine expects that, taking into account the traditionally friendly and trusting nature of relations between Ukraine and India, the competent authorities of India will ensure the legality, transparency, and openness of the process, as well as the proper observance of the rights of the detained Ukrainian citizens, in accordance with the norms and principles of international law.”
