Indonesian authorities have stated that they possess “no information” to verify reports suggesting that Indonesian citizens are being recruited to fight in Ukraine. The Southeast Asian country’s embassy in Russia made this clarification in a statement sent to The Moscow Times.
“The Embassy has no information to support claims about Indonesian nationals being involved in the conflict in Ukraine,” the statement read. “Indonesia’s position remains neutral; we advocate for a peaceful resolution and do not take sides in the conflict.”
Earlier reports had indicated that the Arbat Battalion—a Russian irregular unit reportedly composed of ethnic Armenians—claimed to be recruiting volunteers from Indonesia for training in the partially occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The battalion’s Telegram channel featured a video showing what was purported to be three Indonesian men who had enlisted with the Arbat Battalion, claiming they were ready to receive training and fight against Ukrainian forces.
While Russia’s military has traditionally recruited foreign nationals from former Soviet republics, its recruitment efforts have broadened over the past year to include citizens from countries such as India, Cuba, and Nepal.
In May, Indian authorities arrested four individuals accused of “trafficking” Indian citizens to fight for the Russian military in Ukraine. These arrests followed raids at 13 locations across India, resulting in several people being detained for questioning.
In the same month, Sri Lankan authorities reported that at least 16 of its citizens had been killed while fighting in Ukraine. The Sri Lankan defense ministry stated that these individuals were deceived with promises of high salaries and non-combat roles.
