How Ukrainian Combat Veterans Ran A Drone Warfare Network Via India | Exclusive Details

Last Updated:March 18, 2026, 23:34 IST

A crackdown was executed across two major transport hubs, catching the operatives as they attempted to flee the country

In a major breakthrough for Indian counter-terrorism and intelligence agencies, CNN-News18 has learnt that investigations have uncovered a highly coordinated foreign training module operating on the fringes of the subcontinent. The arrests of six Ukrainian nationals in Delhi and Lucknow have exposed a specialised network of ex-military veterans providing advanced drone warfare, jamming technology, and tactical training to Ethnic Armed Groups (EAGs) in Myanmar.

Indian agencies have dismissed the notion that these individuals were independent travellers or random volunteers. The strategic nature of their separate entries into India, followed by their synchronised attempts to exit, suggests a professional, pre-scheduled military training cycle.

Operating under the alleged leadership of high-profile figure Matthew VanDyke, this cell functioned as a “hands-on" instructional unit. Their mission was clear: to take the high-tech lessons learned on the battlefields of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and transplant them into the dense jungles of Myanmar.

The crackdown was executed across two major transport hubs, catching the operatives as they attempted to flee the country.

The Lucknow Airport Arrests

Petro Hurba (36): A veteran of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Hurba was identified as part of the core training team. He reportedly delivered multiple drone warfare sessions in Myanmar camps.

Taras Slyviak (37): An ex-military instructor who provided practical training in drone assembly and battlefield operations.

Ivan Sukmanovskyi (34): A specialist in drone warfare modules, focusing specifically on sophisticated jamming technology to neutralise enemy assets.

The Delhi Airport Arrests

Marian Stefankiv: A war veteran who joined the fight against Russia in 2022, Stefankiv served as a primary trainer in the Myanmar insurgency camps.

Maksim Honcharuk: An ex-military veteran allegedly responsible for the logistics and smuggling of European drone consignments through Indian territory.

Viktor Kaminskyi: A tactical expert who assisted in drone-related combat training for EAG militants.

While the primary theatre of operation for these veterans was Myanmar, the involvement of Indian soil as a transit and smuggling hub has sounded alarm bells in New Delhi. The strength of the legal case against these men will hinge on proving an “intentional linkage" to India-facing security outcomes.

Agencies are currently investigating whether the drone technology and tactical expertise provided to Myanmar-based groups could eventually be diverted toward insurgent groups operating in India’s Northeast. The smuggling of European drone consignments through Indian ports adds a layer of “grey zone" warfare that complicates India’s traditional border security protocols.

The presence of Ukrainian veterans in Southeast Asian conflicts highlights a burgeoning global trend: the “export" of drone expertise. These men, battle-hardened by modern electronic warfare, represent a new breed of freelance military contractors.

As Indian investigators dig deeper into the digital footprints and financial trails of this “VanDyke Module", the focus remains on dismantling the local support structures that allowed such a high-stakes foreign military operation to use India as a backroom for a neighbouring war.

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