4 min readNew DelhiMar 20, 2026 01:51 AM IST
As Ukraine on Thursday expressed “serious concern” over the circumstances that point to a possible orchestrated and politically motivated nature of the case of arrest of six of its nationals in India, Delhi said it has received a request for consular access from Kyiv and it will be addressed in accordance with the legal requirements of the case.
Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said relevant government agencies are handling the matter in line with domestic laws and international obligations, while ensuring that legal processes are being duly followed.
“We are aware of the case. This is a legal matter, and the relevant Government of India (GoI) agencies are currently investigating it. We have received a request for consular access, and this will be addressed in accordance with the legal requirements of the case,” Jaiswal said, while replying to questions at the weekly briefing.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ukrainian Embassy said: “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.”
It also emphasised the shared principled position of New Delhi and Kyiv on combating terrorism, which was outlined in the joint statement during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine in 2024.
“In the Joint Statement following the visit of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to Ukraine on 23 August 2024, the leaders of the two states strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, emphasised that there can be no justification for terrorism, and underlined the need for international cooperation in combating it in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations,” the statement said.
Proceeding from this shared position, Ukraine maintains that any allegation related to terrorism must be considered exclusively on the basis of verified facts, transparent procedures and full intergovernmental cooperation, it said, stressing on “ensuring objectivity, transparency and impartiality in the investigation of this case”.
Story continues below this ad
Kyiv also expressed its readiness for cooperation between the competent authorities of Ukraine and their Indian counterparts, on the basis of the existing bilateral Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
“Ukraine has no interest in any activity that could pose a threat to the security of India. On the contrary, Ukraine consistently advocates for strengthening security, trust, and cooperation with India as an influential and friendly state. Instead, it is Russia, as an aggressor state, that seeks under every circumstance to drive a wedge between friendly countries — Ukraine and India,” it said.
Any attempt to use this case to discredit Ukraine or to introduce distrust into Ukraine-India relations appears to be a deliberate effort to harm bilateral partnership, it said, alluding to reports that Russia had provided intelligence to the Indian authorities.
The Ukrainian nationals were arrested on March 13 by the NIA on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India (along with an American national). Days later, Ukraine had lodged an official protest with the MEA, demanding the immediate release of the Ukrainian citizens and access to them.
Story continues below this ad
The seven persons arrested by the NIA have been identified as US citizen Matthew Aaron Van Dyke and six Ukrainians — Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim and Kaminskyi Viktor.
The Ukraine foreign office had said there are no established facts proving the involvement of the said Ukrainian citizens in unlawful activities on the territory of India or Myanmar.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to India Oleksandr Polishchuk held a meeting with MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George, during which he handed over an official note of protest demanding the immediate release of the Ukrainian citizens and access to them. In addition, the Embassy is maintaining contact with other competent authorities in India in order to clarify all the circumstances and reasons for the detention, the Ukrainian foreign office said.
