‘We did nothing against India': US mercenary Matthew VanDyke alleges Ukraine war link to his arrest

New Delhi: American mercenary Matthew VanDyke, who was arrested in India along with six Ukrainian nationals over alleged links to armed groups in Myanmar, has claimed that their detention was connected to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, alleging that the group had done nothing against India.

In a post on X, VanDyke said the Indian government had made it clear that he and the Ukrainians had not acted against the country and had only travelled through India on their way to Myanmar.

“The Indian government clearly stated that the Ukrainians and I did nothing against India and only transited India on our way to Myanmar. We never had any bad intentions towards India. Reading on X that some in India were misinformed and angry at us has been quite a surprise...,” he alleged.

VanDyke also indicated that he would make further revelations about the case, promising to share what he described as "shocking details" over the coming months. He has alleged that the case against him and the Ukrainians was linked to Russia's war against Kyiv.

The remarks come weeks after VanDyke returned to India to attend a court hearing in connection with the case. The Rouse Avenue court in Delhi subsequently permitted him and the six Ukrainian nationals to remain outside the country until their next hearing on February 24, 2027.

VanDyke was released from Tihar Jail on September 24 after securing default bail. He was initially allowed to travel to the United States for a month to meet his family.

Why was VanDyke arrested?

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested VanDyke and six Ukrainian nationals on March 13 over allegations that they had travelled to Myanmar to provide weapons-handling and drone-warfare training to ethnic armed groups.

VanDyke was arrested at Kolkata airport, while the six Ukrainians were detained at airports in Delhi and Lucknow.

According to the NIA, the group had travelled to Mizoram without the mandatory permits before crossing into Myanmar. The agency alleged that they provided training in weapons handling and drone warfare to armed groups operating in the country.

The NIA had also informed the court that it was probing allegations that the group was involved in a drone attack on a civilian aircraft in Myanmar. The specific incident under investigation was not immediately clear.

How did he secure bail?

On September 18, the Rouse Avenue court granted VanDyke default bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of the same amount.

The relief came after the NIA failed to file a chargesheet invoking the relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) within the legally prescribed period.

The court directed VanDyke to remain in Delhi after his release and appear before the NIA whenever summoned for questioning. He later approached the court seeking permission to travel to the United States to meet his family.

The court subsequently allowed him and the six Ukrainian nationals to travel to their respective countries for a month.

The Ukrainians were granted bail on personal bonds and cash deposits of Rs 1 lakh each. They were also discharged under certain provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office compounded the alleged violations, imposing a fine of Rs 5.5 lakh on each of them.