Indonesia probes claims citizens fought for Russia

Indonesia said on August 31 that it was investigating claims that several of its citizens had joined the Russian military and been deployed in the war in Ukraine.

The foreign ministry in Jakarta said the information came from Ukrainian authorities and was being checked with several ministries and government institutions. It did not say how many Indonesians were under suspicion.

If the claims are verified, the citizens could risk losing their citizenship under a law that requires Indonesians to obtain presidential permission before serving in a foreign military.

The ministry said any verified involvement by Indonesian citizens in a foreign armed force would be an individual act and would not represent Indonesian government policy.

It said details about the identities, citizenship status, recruitment process and form of involvement of the people mentioned still needed confirmation. The government will also investigate possible fraud, exploitation or recruitment through job offers that did not match their stated purpose.

Russia and Ukraine have both recruited foreign fighters during the war. Indonesia has not traditionally been a source of mercenaries for either side.