Indonesia seeks to stop recruitment of citizens for Ukraine war
Jakarta asks Moscow to stop recruiting its citizens amid reports of men fighting in Ukraine.
A Russian service member patrols near the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on June 13, 2022, amid Russia’s war in Ukraine (Photo via Foreign Policy)
The Indonesian government has formally requested that Russia prevent the recruitment of its citizens into the Russian military following reports of Indonesian nationals fighting in the conflict in Ukraine. The request comes after intelligence reports suggested that several Indonesian men were lured into service under false pretenses.
Ukrainian intelligence first reported in August 2026 that at least eight Indonesian men had been recruited by Russia. According to reports, these individuals were promised high pay and noncombat roles, tactics that Foreign Policy author Joseph Rachman noted are similar to those used by criminal scam centers.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang confirmed that the government is investigating the matter. "The Indonesian government has asked the Russian government to take the necessary steps to ensure that Indonesian citizens are not recruited into the Russian military or other military-related formations through any channel," Mewengkang stated.
The formal request from Jakarta follows reports of at least one Indonesian citizen being killed in the conflict. While Indonesia has maintained a neutral stance regarding the war, the government has warned that participating in foreign combat forces without presidential approval can result in the loss of Indonesian citizenship.
The Russian Embassy in Indonesia has denied the allegations of deceptive recruitment. The embassy further claimed that Ukraine also recruits foreign mercenaries and alleged that thousands of foreign fighters have died while serving in the Ukrainian army.