Ukraine captures first Indonesian prisoner of war amid surge in Russian recruitment
Ukraine has captured its first Indonesian prisoner of war, a 49-year-old man from Java, amid a reported spike in Russian recruitment from the southeast Asian nation.
The man was taken to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region to participate in a Russian assault but managed to reach Ukrainian-held territory after his group was attacked by drones. According to Ukraine's state-run I Want to Live project, he was subsequently captured by Ukrainian forces.
The project reported that some 283 Indonesians were recruited in the first nine months of this year to fight for Russia against Ukraine. This represents a significant increase from the previous three years, when recruitment from Indonesia was no more than 10.
Global Recruitment Pattern
The Russian embassy in Jakarta did not immediately respond to questions about the alleged recruitment effort. However, this is not the first time Russia has sought foreign mercenaries for its war effort. In February, Kenya's intelligence services reported that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been lured to fight for Russia.
A growing number of people from African countries including Kenya, Uganda and South Africa, and elsewhere have been lured to the frontline as Russia seeks help to sustain its more than four-year war after invading Ukraine in February 2022.
Indonesian Response
This month, Jakarta urged Moscow to ensure no Indonesians were drafted into its military, following the reported death in October of an Indonesian national serving with the Russian military.
The Indonesian government asked the Russian government to take all necessary steps to ensure that no Indonesians will be recruited into the Russian military or any other military-related position in Russia through any avenues.
Indonesia was particularly concerned about recruitment practices that could constitute human trafficking. Days later, Indonesian police said they had identified a human trafficking syndicate targeting its nationals that used social media and messaging apps to recruit victims.
Recruitment Tactics
The posts promised lucrative jobs in logistics, border security and defence construction, but after applicants travelled to Russia, they were directed to sign contracts to serve as mercenaries, with some deployed to conflict zones, police said.
The 'I Want to Live' governmental initiative was established in September 2022 by the coordination headquarters for Prisoners of War with support from Ukraine defence ministry and defence intelligence (HUR). It was designed to allow active-duty troops, including Russian servicemen and foreign nationals recruited into the Russian military, to safely surrender and exit the battlefield.
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