The NIA has alleged that Ukrainian nationals used India’s northeast as a transit route to Myanmar, where they provided drone warfare training and facilitated the movement of equipment.
BY PC Bureau
September 4, 2026: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has told a Delhi court that seven foreign nationals arrested in March in connection with an alleged terror conspiracy were also linked to a drone attack targeting a civilian aircraft in Myanmar.
The agency made the claim while seeking permission to question two of the accused inside Tihar Jail. Special Judge Prashant Sharma allowed the application on August 31, permitting investigators to interrogate US national Matthew Aaron VanDyke and Ukrainian national Viktor Kaminskyi on September 2 and 3.
The NIA was also allowed to take laptops, mobile phones, printers and stationery into the prison during the questioning. A Ukrainian translator was permitted to assist in questioning Kaminskyi.
The agency has indicated that a chargesheet in the case is likely to be filed this week.
According to the NIA’s court filing, the Centre received “credible information” that Ukrainian and US nationals were involved in a drone attack on a civilian aircraft in Myanmar. The agency did not identify the aircraft or provide details of the attack in its application.
Media reports have separately referred to a February drone strike involving a Myanmar National Airlines ATR 72-600 at Myitkyina airport in Kachin State. However, it remains unclear whether that is the incident mentioned in the NIA’s filing.
The agency has alleged that 14 Ukrainian nationals entered India on tourist visas at different times before travelling to Guwahati and subsequently to Mizoram. According to investigators, some of them travelled without the required Restricted Area or Protected Area permits and illegally crossed into Myanmar.
The NIA claims the group was involved in providing pre-arranged training to ethnic armed groups fighting Myanmar’s military junta. The alleged training covered drone warfare, operational techniques, assembly and jamming technology.
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Investigators have further alleged that the accused had previously used the Mizoram route twice, conducted drone-related training on two occasions and facilitated the movement of large consignments of drones and components from Europe to Myanmar through India.
The NIA has claimed that some of the ethnic armed groups receiving the training have links with banned Indian insurgent organisations and allegedly supply them with weapons, equipment and training. The agency has described the alleged network as a matter of national security.
According to the prosecution, investigators also found that drone consignments from Europe were delivered in Mizoram and that some of the accused claimed to be in direct contact with armed individuals carrying AK-47 rifles.
Digital evidence under scrutiny
The NIA told the court that several digital devices seized from the accused had been sent for forensic examination. While some forensic reports had been received, investigators said the volume of data was “very huge and voluminous” and was still being analysed.
The agency said the examination had already yielded what it described as incriminating photographs, videos and voice samples. Investigators wanted to confront VanDyke and Kaminskyi with the material and verify it against their statements.
The NIA also said questioning was necessary to confront the accused with information provided by witnesses, establish the “larger conspiracy” and identify other suspects, including alleged masterminds who are believed to be in Myanmar.
Defence opposes questioning
The court rejected the defence’s objection to the jail interrogation, observing that there was no legal bar preventing the NIA from questioning the accused in custody and that courts should ordinarily avoid interfering with an ongoing investigation.
Defence lawyers Rohit Dandriyal, Rohit Gour and Nitin Saluja opposed the plea, arguing that the application did not cite any fresh or specific reason for the questioning and was an “afterthought”.
The NIA’s case is being handled by Special Public Prosecutor Rahul Tyagi, Public Prosecutor Ankit Gautam and advocates Jatin Khatri and Amit Rohilla.
Seven arrested in March
VanDyke was detained at Kolkata airport on March 13. The six Ukrainian nationals — Kaminskyi, Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv and Maksim Honcharuk — were arrested the same day at airports in Lucknow and Delhi.
They were produced before the Patiala House court on March 14 and have remained in Tihar Jail since April 6. The case is being investigated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
VanDyke has separately approached the court seeking permission to prepare his own meals in jail, citing concerns over the spicy and oily food served at Tihar. He sought an American-style diet including pasta, toned milk, olive oil, red meat, chicken and fish, including shrimp.
