Indonesia Investigates Recruitment of Its Citizens into the Russian Army

Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is verifying reports about an Indonesian citizen who may have been recruited into the Russian armed forces to take part in the war against Ukraine.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said this on August 31, according to the state-run ANTARA news agency.

Indonesian diplomatic missions are carrying out the verification in coordination with the relevant government authorities.

Authorities are currently working to identify the individual, confirm his Indonesian citizenship, establish how he was recruited, and determine the nature of his involvement in the Russian armed forces.

“The information concerning his identity, citizenship, recruitment process, and the exact nature of his involvement still needs to be verified,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

She added that even if the information is confirmed, the Indonesian citizen’s participation in the war would have nothing to do with Indonesia’s official policy.

The investigation began following a statement by Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service on August 27. The Ukrainian side said that Russia had recruited at least eight Indonesian citizens into its armed forces.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia is using the recruitment of foreign nationals to bolster the ranks of its armed forces. Indonesian authorities are now also investigating whether human trafficking, deception, or fake job offers may have been used in the recruitment process.

“If an Indonesian citizen has fallen victim to such practices, the Indonesian government will take all necessary measures to protect them in accordance with applicable law,” Mewengkang stressed.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry also reminded citizens that the country’s laws provide for serious legal consequences for those who join foreign armed forces. In some cases, this may result in the loss of Indonesian citizenship. The authorities will draw final conclusions once the verification process is complete.

Militarnyi previously reported that, according to official figures, out of 459 Peruvians who joined Russian forces, 11 were killed, 114 went missing, and Ukrainian troops captured another three.

This means that 27.2% of all Peruvians who joined the Russian army were either killed or went missing. If the three captured individuals are also included, the figure rises to nearly 28%.

Meanwhile, the number of Peruvians reported missing is far higher than the number confirmed dead. The 114 missing individuals alone account for nearly a quarter of all Peruvians who joined the Russian army.