**India to Collect Voice Samples from Arrested Mercenaries Linked to Myanmar Insurgency**
New Delhi, India – The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India is set to collect voice samples from six mercenaries, comprising five Ukrainians and one American, who were arrested in March. The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of aiding insurgent groups in Myanmar and providing them with weaponry.
The six individuals, identified as Petro Hurba, Taras Slyviak, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Marian Stefankiv, Maksim Honcharuk, and Viktor Kaminskyi, were presented before a Delhi court on Friday under tight security measures. The court ruled that they would remain in custody until August 1. The accused consented to the collection of their voice samples, with the court expected to schedule the recording session on Saturday, when another Ukrainian suspect will also be presented.
The NIA is seeking an extension of the investigation period to 180 days under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, which is India's primary anti-terrorism legislation. The focus of the investigation is on the alleged illegal entry of these mercenaries into Mizoram, a border state in India, where foreign nationals must secure special permits. Reports indicate that the suspects may have crossed into Myanmar illegally after entering India.
Matthew Aaron VanDyke, the American national among the arrested, was apprehended at an airport in Kolkata, while three of the Ukrainians were detained at Delhi's airport, and the others were taken into custody in Lucknow.
In response to the arrests, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has demanded the immediate release of its citizens and access to them, asserting that there are no established facts to support claims of their involvement in unlawful activities in India or Myanmar. The ministry has also accused Indian and Russian media outlets of disseminating distorted interpretations of the situation.
Prior to the arrests, Indian intelligence agencies reportedly gathered substantial information that may have originated from Interpol or foreign intelligence sources, leading to the apprehension of the suspects.
The issue of foreign mercenaries crossing into Myanmar from India has been raised by local officials. Mizoram's Chief Minister, Lalduhoma, claimed last year that "thousands" of Western mercenaries linked to Ukraine had entered Myanmar through his state. Additionally, N. Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of the neighboring state of Manipur, suggested in 2024 that there were suspicions of foreign mercenaries being involved in local violence, which is connected to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. In response to these concerns, New Delhi announced plans to erect a fence along the entire 1,643-kilometer (1,020-mile) border with Myanmar.
As the investigation continues, the NIA is focused on determining the extent of the suspects' activities and any potential connections to insurgent groups operating in the region. The collection of voice samples is expected to play a critical role in the ongoing inquiry.