‘Not Our Recruit’: Russian Ambassador on Indonesian Mercenary Case

JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – The Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov, has publicly stated that his embassy played no role in the recruitment of former Indonesian Marine Satria Kumbara, who joined the Russian military as a foreign volunteer and has since been stripped of his citizenship.

Ambassador Tolchenov addressed the growing controversy during a media briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

He sought to distance the Russian diplomatic mission from the individual actions of Kumbara.

“I confirm that the Russian Embassy in Jakarta, and anywhere else, does not conduct recruitment for the Russian Armed Forces,” Tolchenov stated emphatically.

He revealed that he first learned of Kumbara’s loss of citizenship through Indonesian media reports.

The ambassador acknowledged that Russian law does allow for foreign nationals to join its military voluntarily. “Professional personnel who are citizens of Russia or, in some cases, foreign citizens can sign a contract [to join],” he explained.

However, Tolchenov was clear that the embassy assumes no responsibility for the legal consequences Kumbara now faces in his home country. “If Mr. Kumbara violated Indonesian law, this is his own responsibility.

As an Indonesian citizen, he should have understood what he could and could not do,” he said.

The case came to light after Satria Kumbara, a former Indonesian Navy Marine who was dishonorably discharged for desertion, appeared in a viral video apologizing and pleading to return to Indonesia.

He claimed he signed a contract with the Russian military for financial reasons, without fully understanding the legal ramifications.