Ukraine says it has captured a 49-year-old man from Java who was deployed with Russian forces in the Zaporizhzhia region. Kyiv says he is the first Indonesian prisoner of war it has taken and estimates that Russia recruited 283 Indonesians in the first nine months of 2026.
Kyiv reports sharp rise in recruitment
Ukraine’s state-run I Want to Live project said the man had been sent to take part in a Russian assault. He reached Ukrainian-held territory after his unit came under drone attack, the project said, and Ukrainian forces took him into custody.
The project said Russia had recruited no more than 10 Indonesians in the previous three years. The figures are Ukrainian estimates. Russia’s embassy in Jakarta did not immediately respond to questions from the Guardian about the reported recruitment.
Indonesian police investigate job offers
Indonesia’s national police said on 2 November that they were investigating five reports of suspected human trafficking involving 58 alleged victims. Police said recruiters used social media and messaging apps to advertise well-paid jobs in logistics, border security and construction. After arriving in Russia, some applicants were directed to sign military contracts and were subsequently deployed to conflict zones.
The police investigation covers a smaller group than the Ukrainian estimate. The circumstances in which the man from Java joined Russian forces remain unclear.
Jakarta presses Moscow to halt recruitment
Indonesia raised the issue with Moscow earlier this month after Ukrainian military intelligence reported the death of an Indonesian serving with Russian forces. Indonesia’s embassy in Moscow said it was checking the man’s identity and status.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said Jakarta had asked Moscow to stop recruiting Indonesians for its armed forces or other military-related roles. Indonesia also asked Russia to exempt its citizens from any official recruitment of foreign nationals. The ministry urged people considering work abroad to verify job offers through official channels before signing contracts.
NewsHub Finance | World | 11 November 2026
Ukraine says it has captured a 49-year-old man from Java who was deployed with Russian forces in the Zaporizhzhia region. Kyiv says he is the first Indonesian prisoner of war it has taken and estimates that Russia recruited 283 Indonesians in the first nine months of 2026.
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