Yesterday 18:44

Ukraine announces the capture of the first Indonesian combatant sent by Russia to the front in Zaporizhzhia

Raluca Ioana Draghici

11 November 2026, 18:44

International

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Ukraine says it has captured its first Indonesian prisoner of war after he was sent by Russia to take part in fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region. The 49-year-old man, originally from the island of Java, reportedly reached an area under Ukrainian control after his group was attacked by drones, according to the Ukrainian government project “I Want to Live.”

Ukrainian authorities claim that approximately 283 Indonesians were recruited in the first nine months of this year to fight on Russia’s side. Over the past three years, the number of Indonesian citizens recruited had reportedly not exceeded 10.

Indonesia recently asked Moscow to take measures to prevent its citizens from being enlisted in the Russian army or recruited for military activities. Jakarta is concerned that some methods could constitute human trafficking. Indonesian police announced that they had identified a network using social media to lure people with promises of well-paid jobs in Russia. After arriving, some candidates were allegedly forced to sign mercenary contracts and sent to conflict zones.

Russia did not immediately respond to the accusations. According to international media reports, Moscow has also recruited foreign fighters from Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and other countries. The “I Want to Live” initiative, launched in September 2022, allows Russian soldiers and foreign citizens in the Russian army to surrender and leave the front.

Context: Amnesty previously accused Russia of recruiting foreign nationals through deception and coercion for the war in Ukraine

Months earlier, Amnesty International published a report stating that Russia exploits and deceives foreign nationals to persuade them to enlist, practices that in many cases it classifies as human trafficking. The organization claims that recruiters provide false information about the nature of the “jobs,” promise high salaries, or use threats related to visa expiry, detention, or deportation, and that after signing documents they often do not understand, passports are allegedly confiscated and freedom of movement restricted.

Amnesty also says that some recruits are allegedly sent to the front after only two weeks of training and that attempts to leave may be punished with imprisonment or even death. In the report, the organization indicates that Ukrainian authorities estimate recruitment from at least 135 countries and mentions an increase in the number of foreigners identified in the Russian army (27,407–30 March, compared with over 18,000 in November).