World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
58 Indonesians Recruited for Russian Military Service in Trafficking Case
Indonesian police say 58 citizens were recruited to serve as mercenaries in Russia in a suspected human-trafficking scheme.
Recruiters used social media and promised high salaries and bonuses; some people were initially offered logistics work instead.
The victims include civilians and former members of Indonesia’s military and police.
Police are handling five cases across national and local agencies and have named 13 suspects, including people from Russia and Ukraine.
Authorities say the recruitment offers exposed victims to serious danger by sending them to an active conflict zone, in some cases without clear work contracts or legal protection.
Investigators are working to find out whether the cases connect to a wider network in Indonesia or abroad.
Police warn people to be wary of unclear overseas job offers and urge them to report suspected trafficking.
Indonesian police identified 58 Indonesian citizens as victims of a human-trafficking scheme involving recruitment as mercenaries in Russia.
The victims included former members of Indonesia’s military and police, according to police.
Investigators have named 13 suspects across five police reports, including Russian and Ukrainian nationals.
Police said recruits were promised high pay and bonuses, and some were initially offered logistics work rather than told they would become mercenaries.
Investigators are continuing to probe possible wider recruitment networks in Indonesia and abroad.
- Who
- 58 Indonesian citizens were identified as victims; the suspects include Indonesian, Russian and Ukrainian nationals.
- What
- Police are investigating alleged human trafficking through recruitment for work in Russia, including as mercenaries.
- When
- Police discussed the case on 2 November 2026; the five reports were filed between 25 September and 28 October 2026.
- Where
- The recruitment was for work in Russia. The reports were handled by national and regional police in Indonesia.
- Why
- Recruits were promised high salaries and bonuses. Police said the offers were used to exploit victims and put them at serious risk.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A police report recorded seven victims and two suspects.
A Bogor police report recorded 22 victims and two suspects, one of whom was placed on a wanted list.
A national police report recorded five victims.
A West Jakarta police report recorded 12 victims.
A Metro Jaya police report recorded 12 victims.
Police said the five reports involved 58 victims and 13 suspects.
- Victims
- 58 Indonesian citizens
- Suspects
- 13 across five police reports
- Largest report
- Bogor, 20 October 2026: 22 victims
- Recruitment offer
- High salaries and bonuses
- Suspects’ nationalities
- Indonesian, Russian and Ukrainian nationals
4 sources
What people are saying
Those recruited were not only civilians, but also former members of the military and police.
So it is true that they did not directly offer them work as mercenaries, but as logistics workers.
Offers to become soldiers in a foreign country with fantastic salaries and bonuses are a human-trafficking method that puts victims at very high risk.