Jakarta wants Russia not to recruit Indonesians in its war. Should Prabowo call Putin?

Indonesia has urged Russia to cease recruiting its citizens for military purposes in Ukraine, with officials emphasizing the appeal may prove ineffective unless President Prabowo Subianto personally intervenes with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Indonesian government has requested Russia take immediate action to prevent any further recruitment of Indonesians into the military.

This call came in response to a report by Ukraine's Defence Intelligence indicating that an Indonesian national died while fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine. The deceased, Taufiq Muhammad, was a taxi driver from Jakarta who had previously worked in the United States. Taufiq had signed a one-year contract to fight for Russia but died in his first battle.

Indonesia's embassy in Moscow is currently investigating the matter. In September, another Indonesian citizen, Rendi Apriyanto, was reported killed in Ukraine after being promised a high-paying job in military logistics but instead became a casualty on the front lines. According to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, 292 Indonesians have been recruited to fight in the war, with at least 283 involved in combat during the first nine months of the year.

The Indonesian National Police have intensified efforts to combat illegal recruitment, recently arresting 13 suspects involved in duping 58 citizens to travel to Russia. International relations expert Radityo Dharmaputra from Airlangga University suggested that while Jakarta's formal request is a positive step, Prabowo should directly engage with Putin to exert pressure on Russia.

He pointed to India's approach, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted Putin directly to protest the recruitment of Indian citizens, which led to the discharge of the affected individuals. Dharmaputra emphasized that Prabowo's existing relationship with Putin could be leveraged to apply pressure on Russia to halt the recruitment of Indonesian citizens.

However, some experts remain skeptical that Indonesia's diplomatic approach will be effective, suggesting that private military firms could continue recruiting despite official restrictions. They urged Indonesia to address the root cause by creating domestic employment opportunities for young citizens, thereby reducing the urge to seek work abroad.