Jakarta. A Russian diplomat said Tuesday that Moscow never actively sought Indonesian mercenaries to beef up its manpower in their fight against Ukraine, although people could join at their own free will.

Kyiv’s claims of at least eight Indonesians joining the Russian army had grabbed newspaper headlines as a full-scale war had gone on for four and a half years. The Indonesian government is now looking into the reports, including whether the men had fallen for fake job offers.

Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Sergei Tolchenov said that his embassy had not done “any kind” of military recruitment. The same goes for Russian diplomatic missions in other countries.

However, it is still “possible” for foreigners — including those living in Russia as workers, students, or even tourists — to be part of the armed forces if they wish.

“But that is their personal decision. We do not ask anyone or spread the information [related to the recruitment] here,” Tolchenov told the press in Jakarta.

“There are a lot of foreigners in the Russian army, but no embassy abroad does enrollment.”

Tolchenov even raised the possibility that some Indonesians were on the “other side of the battle line”, alluding to the Ukrainian military. 

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry had not officially approached the Russian embassy so far, said Tolchenov. 

In a recent report, the Ukrainian intelligence agency FISU wrote that Moscow had been luring Indonesians, Kenyans, and even Indians to fill the personnel gaps, citing that many Russians refused to serve on the front lines. They even uploaded what appeared to be travel documents belonging to 8 Indonesian men, who were all in their 30-40s, as proof. Moscow had allegedly promised these foreign fighters a huge salary, non-combat duties, and fast-tracked Russian citizenship. 

The Foreign Ministry is now cross-checking the reports with the Indonesian diplomatic missions and other ministries. 

According to the ministry’s spokeswoman Yvonne Mewengkang, the government still needs to “confirm the individuals’ identities, citizenships, recruitment process, and the nature of their involvement”. Acts by individuals also do not reflect Jakarta’s pro-peace stance in the war.

In 2025, ex-marine Satria Arta Kumbara caught nationwide attention for volunteering for the Russian military, a decision that cost him his Indonesian citizenship. Satria later regretted the decision and pleaded for citizenship reinstatement, a request that the Navy turned down. 

Indonesia may cancel the citizenship of individuals who join foreign combat forces, especially without presidential approval. The revocation remains subject to official verification.

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