The “I Want to Live” project, officially supported by Ukraine, made headlines on November 10 with the announcement of a case involving an Indonesian soldier captured during the ongoing conflict. This individual, as reported by the project, previously served in the Russian military and is identified as the first Indonesian national taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces. In light of these developments, the government of Indonesia has reached out through diplomatic channels, requesting Russia to cease the recruitment of Indonesian citizens for military responsibilities.
According to the information shared by the “I Want to Live” project, the captured individual is named Sukamto Ayok, a 49-year-old hailing from Blitar, East Java, Indonesia. Ayok disclosed that back in May of this year, he was introduced to a job opportunity in Russia by a former classmate. Upon arriving in Moscow in July, he signed a one-year contract without full awareness of its implications.
It was only later that Ayok realized he had contracted with the Russian Ministry of Defense and was subsequently assigned to the 39th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Russian army. He vividly recounted that his unit was deployed to the Zaporizhzhia region to participate in assault operations. Unfortunately, his group was attacked by Ukrainian drones, leading to their disintegration. After several days of navigating through hostile territory, Ayok eventually reached Ukrainian positions, where he was taken prisoner.
The “I Want to Live” project revealed that in the first nine months of this year alone, at least 283 Indonesians were recruited to fight for Russian forces, a stark increase compared to the previous three years, which saw a total of no more than ten individuals involved. Additionally, an official list was released, naming 292 Indonesian nationals, with the project believing that the actual number of recruits may be even higher.
This initiative was established in September 2022 by Ukraine’s Prisoner Coordination Headquarters, receiving support from the Ministry of Defense and the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR). Its purpose is to facilitate the surrender and extraction of Russian military personnel and foreign nationals recruited for service.
Yvonne Mewengkang, spokesperson for the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, stated in an interview with Antara News Agency on November 1 that Indonesia has formally requested the Russian side to take necessary measures to ensure that its citizens are not recruited into the Russian military or involved in any other military-related activities.
She emphasized that Indonesia also seeks to have its citizens listed as exempt from formal recruitment for foreign military personnel, expressing particular concern regarding potential recruitment methods that could involve human trafficking.
Earlier in the month, the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency reported the death of an Indonesian citizen while serving in the Russian military. Mewengkang remarked that the Indonesian embassy in Moscow is currently verifying information concerning the identity and status of the individual in question.
Furthermore, Indonesian police announced on November 2 that they are investigating five suspected human trafficking cases related to the recruitment of Indonesians for combat roles in Russia, involving 58 alleged victims. Thirteen individuals have already been identified as suspects, including two Russian nationals and one Ukrainian.
Authorities indicate that recruiters are utilizing social media, job platforms, and instant messaging applications to lure candidates with promises of overseas employment and lucrative wages. Initially, the positions being offered included roles in logistics, border security, and defense construction. According to police sources, some applicants, upon arriving in Russia, are coerced into signing combat contracts, receiving military training, and may eventually be deployed to conflict zones.