Tensions Have Flared Between Indonesia And Russia

• 3.11.2026, 13:30

Jakarta has demanded an end to the recruitment of its citizens into Putin's army.

Indonesia has officially demanded that Russia stop recruiting its citizens to fight in the war against Ukraine. This demand follows the killing of an Indonesian man who had been recruited into the Russian army and sent to the front lines. Jakarta is also seeking an official ban on the recruitment of its citizens into Russian military units, according to The Diplomat.

Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang stated that the relevant request has already been conveyed to the Russian side through diplomatic channels.

“The Indonesian government has demanded that the Russian government take the necessary measures to ensure that Indonesian citizens are not recruited into the Russian army or other military-affiliated formations,” she said.

According to Ukrainian military intelligence, the deceased Indonesian, identified by the initials MT, had previously worked as a taxi driver in Jakarta. He signed a one-year military contract but was killed about a week after being sent to the front lines.

On August 27, the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service reported that at least eight Indonesian citizens had been recruited into the Russian army. The agency stated that the Kremlin had turned the country into “yet another source of cheap mercenaries for the war.”

Indonesians are often lured to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, high salaries, and expedited citizenship. Some of them only learn about military service after they arrive.

Jakarta is now demanding that Moscow officially enforce a ban on the recruitment of its citizens—India, Sri Lanka, Colombia, and South Africa have previously secured similar measures.