Indonesia's Stance: No Obligation to Prevent Citizens Joining Russian Mercenaries

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia bears no obligation to prevent its citizens from becoming mercenaries in Russia, said Hikmahanto Juwana, an international law professor from the University of Indonesia. "The state does not prevent [the citizens], but every Indonesian citizen must be aware of the consequences," he said on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Hikmahanto's remark came against the backdrop of recent news where an Indonesian citizen became a mercenary in Russia. An Aceh regional police mobile brigade (Brimob), Second Brigadier Muhammad Rio, was declared a deserter and revealed to have become a Russian mercenary. This was not the first case. Earlier, a former Indonesian marine, Satria Arta Kumbara, chose a similar path. At that time, Arta Kumbara uploaded a video on the Tiktok social media platform asking for help from President Prabowo and Foreign Minister Sugiono to repatriate him. The former Indonesian navy marine asked for government assistance to restore his citizenship rights, which had been revoked since signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Hikmahanto said Indonesian citizens must all know the consequence of becoming a Russian mercenary: losing their Indonesian citizenship. Before joining the Russian army, Second Brigadier Muhammad Rio had a history of ethical violations before being dishonorably discharged due to desertion. The Head of Public Relations of the Aceh Regional Police, Commissioner Joko Krisdiyanto, said on Saturday that Rio had previously been sanctioned with a demotion transfer for two years due to an extramarital affair and secret marriage. Due to his actions, the Police Ethics Code Commission (KKEP) ruling on May 14, 2025, placed Rio in the Headquarters Service unit at Brimob. Rio was found abandoning his duties since Monday, December 8, 2025. According to Joko, officers had searched for him at his private residence and summoned him twice on Desember 24, and again on January 6, 2026.The Aceh Regional Police had obtained evidence such as a passport and a travel history. Rio was recorded to have taken a flight from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to Pudong International Airport, Shanghai on December 18, 2025. Then a flight to Haikou Meilan International Airport on December 19, 2025. On January 7, 2026, the Aceh Regional Police Brimob issued a wanted persons list (DPO) for Rio with Number: DPO/01/I/HUK.12.10/2026. But on the same day, Rio sent a WhatsApp message to an Aceh Regional Police Brimob Provost staff member. The message consisted of photo and video documentation showing that he had joined the Russian foreign mercenary division. In addition, Rio described the registration process and the amount of salary received in rubles, converted to rupiah. Rio admitted to receiving an initial joining bonus of 2 million rubles, equivalent to Rp420 million. Then a monthly salary of 210,000 rubles or Rp42 million. At present, Rio is suspected to be in the Donbass region with a legion of foreign soldiers, fighting Russia's war against Ukraine. Hammam Izzuddinand Novali Panji Nugroho contributed to the writing of this article Read: Minister: Indonesian Who Joins Russian Military Loses Citizenship