NEW DELHI: Ukraine has lodged a formal protest with India over the detention of six of its nationals in an alleged terror-related probe, demanding their immediate release and “unimpeded consular access”, while the United States has issued a guarded response after one of its citizens was also arrested in the case.
“Contrary to established international practice, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India did not receive any official notification from the competent authorities of India regarding the detention of Ukrainian citizens. The Ukrainian side insists on the immediate provision of unimpeded consular access to the detainees,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The statement further said: “The Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of India Dr. Oleksandr Polishchuk held a meeting with the Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Sibi George, during which he handed over an official note of protest demanding the immediate release of the Ukrainian citizens.”
A spokesperson for the US embassy said, “We are aware of the situation. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on cases involving US citizens”. The diplomatic reactions came after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested six Ukrainian nationals and a US citizen for allegedly plotting terror activities involving drones and cross-border networks linked to Myanmar-based armed groups.
According to NIA sources, the accused had entered India on tourist visas but were part of a larger conspiracy involving the transport of drone consignments from Europe and suspected plans to aid insurgent groups. The arrests were carried out in a coordinated operation on March 13. A US national was detained by the Bureau of Immigration at Kolkata airport, while six Ukrainians were picked up from airports in Lucknow and Delhi. All seven were later taken into NIA custody and booked under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), along with other relevant provisions.
Investigators said the group was not acting in isolation. “A probe has revealed that the arrested Ukrainian nationals were part of a 14 member group who had entered India on tourist visas on separate dates. They are being interrogated to ascertain the whereabouts of their seven associates and unearth the entire conspiracy,” an NIA official said.
The arrested US national has been identified as Matthew Aaron Van Dyke. The six Ukrainians have been identified as Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor. According to officials, after arriving in India, the group travelled to Guwahati and then moved to Mizoram without obtaining the mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP), which is required for foreign nationals visiting certain border areas.
“They allegedly crossed the border into Myanmar with the intention of carrying out a ‘pre-scheduled training for Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups (EAGs)’. They also delivered multiple consignments of drones from Europe," the NIA official said. These ethnic armed groups are believed to have links with insurgent organisations operating in India, particularly in the Northeast, and are known to provide training in drone warfare, assembly, and jamming technologies.
Sources said the accused were involved in transporting large consignments of drones from Europe into Myanmar through India. These consignments were allegedly intended for use by armed groups that support banned Indian insurgent outfits with weapons, logistics and training. The suspects were produced before a Delhi court and remanded to NIA custody till March 27. Officials said sustained interrogation is underway to map the network, trace routes used for smuggling equipment, analyse digital evidence and identify funding sources and additional conspirators.
“Their sustained interrogation is underway to trace the routes used by the accused, examine mobile data to identify funding sources and track down other co-accused persons,” the NIA official said.
Authorities said the case points to a growing threat from cross-border networks using drone technology, with Myanmar-based groups playing a significant role in supporting insurgent activities that pose a serious risk to India’s national security.