New Delhi, March 19 India said on Thursday that it has received a request from Ukraine for consular access to six Ukrainian nationals arrested on charges of illegally entering Mizoram and involvement in unlawful activities.
The Ukrainian nationals and a US citizen were arrested on March 13 and they have been remanded in the custody of the investigating agency until March 27.
"This is a legal matter, and the relevant government agencies are currently investigating it," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.
He was responding to questions relating to the arrest of the Ukrainian nationals.
Jaiswal said that New Delhi has received a request from the Ukrainian side for consular access to the Ukrainian nationals, and a decision will be taken keeping in mind the legal requirements.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine called for a transparent investigation into the case and expressed readiness to cooperate in the probe.
At the same time, Ukraine said it "firmly rejects any insinuations regarding the possible involvement of the Ukrainian state in supporting terrorist activities" in India.
According to reports, the Ukrainian nationals were charged with unlawful activities for allegedly helping certain entities in Myanmar which work closely with anti-India insurgent groups.
Ukraine's ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk had met Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, Sibi George, this week and sought consular access to the Ukrainians.
In a statement, the Ukraine embassy took strong note of media reports indicating that the initiation of action in the case was "prompted" by information provided by the Russian side.
The mission expressed its "serious concern" over what it claimed as the "presence of circumstances that point to a possible orchestrated and politically motivated nature of this case, as evidenced, in particular, by the facts known at this stage".
"Ukraine firmly rejects any insinuations regarding the possible involvement of the Ukrainian state in supporting terrorist activities," it said.
The embassy also referred to a India-Ukraine joint statement issued in August 2024 in which both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and emphasised that there can be no justification for terrorism.
"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," the embassy said.
"In this regard, Ukraine emphasises the necessity of ensuring objectivity, transparency, and impartiality in the investigation of this case," it said.
In this context, the Ukrainian side said it is ready to provide "active cooperation" to the India authorities, especially under the framework of the existing bilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
"We also emphasize that Ukraine has no interest in any activity that could pose a threat to the security of India," the embassy said.
"On the contrary, Ukraine consistently advocates for strengthening security, trust, and cooperation with India as an influential and friendly state," it said.
"Instead, it is Russia, as an aggressor state, that seeks under every circumstance to drive a wedge between friendly countries -- Ukraine and India," the embassy alleged.