Russia calls Zelenskyy regime 'destabilizer' after NIA arrests 6 Ukrainians
What's the story
Russia has reacted strongly to the arrest of six Ukrainians and one American in India by the National Investigation Agency(NIA). The arrests were made at three airports: Kolkata, Lucknow, and Delhi. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of trying to cover up the incident and ignoring violations of India's counter-terrorism laws. She called Kyiv a "core exporter of instability" involved in global arms black markets and regional conflicts.
Allegations detailed
Arrested individuals linked to Myanmar's People's Defence Force
The arrested individuals are said to have crossed from Mizoram into Myanmar, linked with local armed groups, supplied EU-made drones, and trained militants in drone assembly, repair, and electronic warfare. They were suspected of acting as mercenaries and training the People's Defence Force (PDF), a pro-democracy group declared terrorists by Myanmar's military junta. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that consular access requests for all seven detainees have been received.
Diplomatic response
Ukrainian Embassy expresses 'serious concern'
The Ukrainian Embassy in India has expressed "serious concern" over the possibility of an "orchestrated and politically motivated nature" of the case. They pointed out that publicly available information suggested that the proceedings were initiated on a tip-off from Russia. The embassy's statement hinted at potential political motivations behind the arrests, adding another layer of complexity to this international incident.
Accusations exchanged
Zakharova accuses Ukraine of destabilizing region
Zakharova slammed the Ukrainian government for trying to hide its citizens' activities, which she said were aimed at destabilizing the region. She also accused Kyiv of being involved in global arms black markets and regional conflicts. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that Ukraine's response was an attempt to cover up questionable activities of its citizens.