‘Russia sowing discord’: Kyiv denies anti-India plot, seeks fair investigation into detention of six Ukrainians

New Delhi: Ukraine on Thursday called for a transparent and impartial investigation into the detention of six Ukrainian nationals in Mizoram state, firmly rejecting any suggestion of involvement in terror activities and accusing Russia of trying to “drive a wedge between Ukraine and India”.“A Ukrainian national has been detained for allegedly entering Mizoram without authorization and being involved in illegal activities. A U.S. citizen was also detained in connection with the case. The men are reportedly accused of assisting certain entities in Myanmar believed to be linked to anti-India insurgent groups.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “There are certain areas in India that are restricted and there are certain protected areas. So, for those areas, you need permission to go there, whether they have this specific permission or not, that is now before the court. It will be filed and then we will know… I know they may need certain documents to travel to that area of ​​India.”“Ukrainian Ambassador Alexander Polishchuk recently met with Foreign Minister (West) Sibi George and sought consular access to detained citizens.The Ukrainian embassy said in a statement that “Ukraine firmly rejects any suggestion that the Ukrainian state may be involved in supporting terrorist activities. Ukraine is a country that faces the consequences of Russian terror every day and therefore takes a principled and uncompromising position in the fight against all forms of terrorism.”The embassy also expressed “serious concern” about media reports, saying the action in the case was “prompted” by information from Russia, and said the situation showed signs of a “potentially orchestrated and politically motivated nature.”Talking about relations with India, Ukraine noted that the two countries have confirmed their common position in the fight against terrorism. The statement cited the joint statement issued by Prime Minister Modi after his visit to Ukraine on August 23, 2024. The two sides strongly condemned terrorism, stated that there is no justification for terrorism, and emphasized the need for international cooperation in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.On this basis, Ukraine stated that any terrorism-related accusations must be rigorously examined on the basis of verified facts, transparent procedures and full intergovernmental cooperation. It also emphasizes the need for investigations to be objective, transparent and impartial.

Ukraine also expressed readiness for “active cooperation” between its authorities and their Indian counterparts, particularly under the bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters, which provides for extensive cooperation through designated authorities.The statement also emphasized that Ukraine has no interest in any activities that may threaten India’s security and claimed that “Russia, as an aggressor, seeks to drive a wedge between friendly countries – Ukraine and India” under any circumstances.Ukraine also warned that any attempt to use the case to discredit itself or create distrust in India-Ukraine relations would be seen as deliberate damage to bilateral relations. Ukraine stated that bilateral relations are developing steadily and have strong potential for further development.