Dev Patel

Full statement of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: On 13 March 2026, six citizens of Ukraine were detained in the Republic of India. According to preliminary information, the charges concern unauthorized presence in the state of Mizoram, access to which requires a special permit, as well as the alleged illegal crossing of the state border between India and Myanmar. At present, the competent authorities of India are conducting the relevant investigative actions. As of now, there are no established facts proving the involvement of the said Ukrainian citizens in unlawful activities on the territory of India or Myanmar. At the same time, certain publications, including in some Indian and Russian media outlets, contain distorted interpretations of the available facts, are manipulative in nature, and put forward unfounded allegations. The details of the case are not being disclosed in the interests of the investigation. With the assistance of Ukrainian consular officers of the Embassy of Ukraine in India, the citizens have been provided with legal aid and defence counsel during the court proceedings. On 16 March 2026, a court hearing took place, which was also attended by representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India; however, they were not granted the opportunity to communicate directly with the detainees. Following the hearing, the court decided to extend their detention until 27 March 2026. 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 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, Mr. 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 contacts with other competent authorities of India in order to clarify all the circumstances and reasons for the detention. The Ukrainian diplomatic mission remains in constant contact with the relatives of the detained Ukrainian citizens and is keeping the situation under special control. We draw attention to the fact that there are certain restricted-access zones in India for foreign nationals, entry to which is possible only with special permits. At the same time, proper marking of such areas on the ground is often absent, which creates a risk of unintentional violation of the established rules.