Kyiv has sought consular access to its citizens held in India and warned that attempts to link them to anti-India activities could be politically motivated.Raising concerns over reports of Russian involvement, Ukraine said efforts to discredit it could harm its growing partnership with India.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi/ March 20, 2026: Ukraine on Thursday pushed back strongly against allegations surrounding the detention of six of its nationals in India, calling for a transparent and impartial investigation while warning that “external forces” may be attempting to strain ties between Kyiv and New Delhi.
Of the six Ukrainian nationals in the custody of the NIA , three were detained at Delhi airport, while the remaining three were apprehended at Lucknow airport by NIA teams. The American citizen, Matthew Aaron VanDyke, was held at Kolkata airport in West Bengal, a key transit hub for India’s eastern and northeastern regions.
Sources said Russian authorities provided intelligence inputs to Indian agencies on the activities of the six Ukrainian nationals and the lone American citizen.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, recently met Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, and sought consular access to the detained citizens.
#WATCH | Delhi: On six Ukrainians and one American citizen detained by NIA, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “There are certain areas which are restricted in India, and there are certain protected areas. So for those areas, you need permission to travel there, and whether… pic.twitter.com/tYqhqWTgQK
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2026
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In a statement, the Embassy of Ukraine firmly rejected any suggestion of involvement in terrorist activities, asserting that Ukraine itself faces “Russian terror on a daily basis” and maintains a “principled and uncompromising stance” against terrorism in all its forms.
The embassy also expressed “serious concern” over media reports indicating that the case may have been triggered by inputs from Russia, describing the situation as potentially “orchestrated” and politically motivated.
Reiterating its position, Ukraine pointed to the joint statement issued during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kyiv in August 2024, where both countries strongly condemned terrorism and emphasised the need for global cooperation in line with international law and the UN Charter.
Kyiv stressed that any allegations must be examined strictly on the basis of verified facts, transparent procedures, and close intergovernmental coordination. It called for objectivity and impartiality in the ongoing probe.
Ukraine also expressed readiness for “active cooperation” with Indian authorities under the bilateral Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which provides a framework for coordinated legal and investigative action.
Emphasising its commitment to India’s security, Ukraine said it has no interest in any activity that could undermine bilateral ties. It alleged that Russia, as an “aggressor state”, was attempting to “drive a wedge” between the two countries.
The embassy further warned that any attempt to use the case to discredit Ukraine or erode trust in India-Ukraine relations would be viewed as a deliberate effort to harm a partnership that continues to grow.
The NIA has accused the group of entering India on tourist visas; travelling to Mizoram, a restricted/protected area, without the required Restricted Area Permit (RAP) or Protected Area Permit (PAP); illegally crossing into Myanmar’s Chin State; providing training to Myanmar-based Ethnic Armed Groups (EAGs) in drone warfare, including assembly, operations, jamming technology and weapons handling; and smuggling or facilitating “huge consignments” of drones imported from Europe, routed through India to Myanmar.
