Indonesian Recruited by Russia With Promises of Easy Money Killed in His First Battle in Ukraine

A 48-year-old Indonesian citizen recruited into the Russian military was killed during his first combat engagement in Ukraine’s Donetsk region after receiving just 10 days of military training.

According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) on October 27, the man, identified as Taufiq Muhammad, had traveled to Russia after reportedly being approached by recruiters offering opportunities to earn money.

Muhammad was born on May 22, 1978, in Sorong, Indonesia, and previously lived in Surabaya on the island of Java. Before joining the Russian military, he worked as a taxi driver in Jakarta and as a manager at an agricultural company. He had also worked in the United States and spoke English.

Ukrainian intelligence reported that Russian recruiters contacted Muhammad after obtaining a résumé he had submitted while seeking employment. Investigators believe he may have accepted the offer because of promises of relatively easy earnings.

On April 19, 2026, Muhammad signed a one-year military contract in Korolyov, a city near Moscow.

He was subsequently assigned as a machine gunner and sent to a military training facility near Voronezh, where he spent approximately a week and a half before being transferred to Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory in early May.

According to HUR, Muhammad was killed during his first combat encounter as Russian forces attempted to advance from Zelena Dolyna toward Novoselivka and Drobysheve in the Donetsk region.

Earlier, on October 19, Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported that nearly 46,000 foreign nationals from 151 countries had signed contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry. Moscow has reportedly set a target of recruiting 18,500 foreigners in 2026, with more than 16,000 already enlisted.

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