Ukraine captures first Indonesian prisoner of war amid surge in Russian recruitment
Summary
Ukraine says it captured a 49-year-old Indonesian man who had joined Russian forces and reached Ukrainian-held territory after a drone attack on his group. Ukraine’s I Want to Live project reported a sharp increase in Indonesian recruits, while Jakarta has urged Moscow to prevent Indonesians from being recruited and is investigating suspected human trafficking.Key Facts
- The man, from Java, was captured in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to the I Want to Live project.
- The project said 283 Indonesians were recruited to fight for Russia in the first nine months of 2026, compared with no more than 10 in the previous three years.
- Indonesia’s foreign ministry said it had asked Russia to ensure Indonesians were not recruited into its military or related roles.
- Indonesian police said they identified a suspected trafficking network that used social media and messaging apps to recruit people with promises of jobs in Russia.
- Police said some recruits were directed to sign military contracts after arriving in Russia and were sent to conflict zones.
- Kenya’s intelligence services reported in February that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been lured to fight for Russia.
- The I Want to Live project was established in September 2022 to help Russian troops and foreign recruits surrender and leave the battlefield.
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