Mizo CM Lalduhoma Raises Alarm Over Ukraine War Veterans Allegedly Using Mizoram Route To Train Myanmar Rebels

Guwahati: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has raised serious concerns over the alleged movement of foreign fighters through the state into neighbouring Myanmar, claiming that some veterans of the Ukraine war may have entered the region to train rebel groups fighting the military junta there.

Speaking in the Mizoram Assembly earlier, Lalduhoma said the state government had received specific intelligence suggesting that individuals who had previously taken part in the Ukraine conflict had travelled through Mizoram to reach Myanmar’s Chin State.

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According to the Chief Minister, some of these foreigners were believed to be mercenaries from Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, who may have used Mizoram’s long and porous border with Myanmar to enter the conflict zone.

Lalduhoma told the House that between June and December 2024, nearly 2,000 foreign nationals entered Mizoram. While many arrived legally, the authorities became concerned after noticing that some of them travelled towards border areas instead of visiting popular tourist destinations in the state.

Following these developments, the Union Government decided to reimpose the Protected Area Permit (PAP) requirement for foreign visitors to Mizoram, making prior permission mandatory for entry into the state.

The Chief Minister said his government had earlier opposed the move as it could affect tourism, but the security situation eventually made stricter controls necessary.

The issue sparked political debate in the state. Former Chief Minister Zoramthanga questioned the claims and suggested that the matter was being used to justify tighter restrictions imposed by the Centre.

However, the matter gained fresh attention after the National Investigation Agency recently arrested seven foreign nationals — six Ukrainians and one American — for allegedly entering Mizoram without valid permits and crossing into Myanmar.

Investigators suspect that the group may have provided military training to ethnic armed organisations operating in Myanmar’s Chin State. Some of these groups are believed to have links with insurgent networks in the region.

The accused have been remanded for further interrogation, and officials are examining whether the case is connected to illegal movement of weapons across the border.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has sought consular access to its citizens, stating that there is no confirmed evidence yet of any wrongdoing.

For Mizoram, the issue has wider implications because of the close ethnic ties between the Mizo people and the Chin community living across the border in Myanmar. Since the military takeover in Myanmar, thousands of refugees from Chin State have taken shelter in Mizoram.

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Over the past few years, Lalduhoma has also been involved in facilitating dialogue among different Chin groups in Aizawl in an effort to encourage unity among them.

However, the alleged involvement of foreign fighters has now added a new dimension to the already complex situation along the Indo-Myanmar border.

Security agencies are continuing their investigation to determine whether the recent arrests represent isolated incidents or part of a larger network.

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