Indonesian recruited by Russia captured in Ukraine
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Bénin Web TV
Ukrainian authorities say they captured a 49-year-old Indonesian fighting in Russian ranks in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraine’s «I Want to Live» programme says 283 Indonesians were recruited between January and September 2026, a figure not confirmed by Jakarta, reports Benin Web TV.
Ukraine’s «I Want to Live» programme, which notably tracks foreign military personnel fighting alongside Russia, says 283 Indonesians were recruited between January and September 2026, compared with a maximum of ten over the previous three years. The figure has not been confirmed by Indonesian authorities.
The captured man, aged 49 and from Java, was reportedly assigned to a unit involved in a Russian offensive in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to officials from the Ukrainian programme, his group was targeted by a drone strike before he reached an area controlled by Ukrainian forces.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry had asked Russia on 1 November to prevent the recruitment of Indonesian citizens into its army or affiliated military formations. On 2 November, Indonesia’s national police announced that 58 suspected victims had been identified in five trafficking cases linked to the recruitment of fighters for Russia and that 13 people, including two Russians and one Ukrainian, had been implicated.
