Ukrainian War Veterans Arrested in Lucknow for Alleged Terror Plot
In a significant security operation, three Ukrainian nationals, identified as war veterans by intelligence agencies, were taken into custody by Bureau of Immigration (BoI) officials at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow. The individuals, arrested on March 13, were subsequently handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) last week.
Details of the Arrests and Charges
The arrested Ukrainians have been identified as Petro Hurba, 36, Taras Slyviak, 37, and Ivan Sukmanovskyi, 34. They have been booked under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), among other sections of the Act. According to an intelligence source, the trio traveled to Myanmar to train insurgent groups in flying military drones, posing a potential threat to regional stability.
This arrest is part of a broader NIA operation that has led to the detention of seven foreign nationals in total—six Ukrainians and one American—for allegedly conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India. The group is reportedly led by US national Mathew Aron Van Dyke, who was detained by BoI at Kolkata airport. Three other Ukrainian nationals—Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor—were held at Delhi airport.
Travel and Activities in India
Investigators revealed that the three Ukrainians held in Lucknow arrived in India from the UAE on December 18, 2025. They later traveled through Mizoram and allegedly crossed into Myanmar’s Chin State. In the early hours of March 11, they checked into a hotel near the Lucknow airport.
The hotel owner provided details to authorities, stating that the trio checked in around 2 am after making an online booking and informing about their early arrival. “Petro Hurba spoke English and claimed to be a chef. They described themselves as tourists traveling across India,” said the hotel owner. However, the guests avoided answering questions about their previous location, only mentioning they had come from the Northeast and had earlier visited Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, where they stayed at an ashram.
During their stay, the trio visited a shopping mall for non-vegetarian food and were observed watching a local wedding from the hotel rooftop. The timely submission of Form C by the hotel owner played a crucial role in tracking the suspects. Form C is a mandatory online document under the Foreigners Act, requiring hotels and hosts to report the stay of foreign nationals within 24 hours.
Broader Investigation and Background
Intelligence sources indicated that the three Ukrainians traveled by a sleeper bus from Guwahati to Lucknow and were attempting to fly to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday evening when they were arrested following specific intelligence inputs. The accused had entered India on valid tourist visas but subsequently traveled to Mizoram without obtaining the mandatory restricted area permit, raising further suspicions.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma informed the state assembly that his government had intelligence inputs suggesting the Ukraine war veterans traveled to Myanmar’s Chin State via Mizoram to train rebel outfits fighting the military junta. This aligns with the NIA’s findings of their alleged involvement in drone training for insurgent groups.
Regarding the wider network, Mathew Aron Van Dyke, the alleged leader, is the founder of Sons of Liberty International, a company providing security consulting and training services. According to his X account and official website, Dyke claims to have fought in Libya and Ukraine, run covert operations in Venezuela, and is an award-winning filmmaker with stated opposition to the current Iranian regime.
The arrests underscore ongoing efforts by Indian authorities to combat international terror threats, with the NIA continuing its investigation into the activities of these foreign nationals and their potential links to broader terrorist conspiracies against India.
