First Indonesian Captured in Ukraine Says He Was Lured With a Construction Job and Forcibly Tattooed

Sukamto Ayok, 49, from the city of Blitar on Indonesia's island of Java, is the first Indonesian taken prisoner in Ukraine, Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project said in a post on X. According to the project, he was offered a civilian construction job in Russia, signed what turned out to be a Russian army contract, and was sent to an assault in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, where he was captured.

A Job Offer From a Former Classmate

On May 27, 2026, a former classmate, Aryo Aryanto, offered Sukamto a job in Russia under a civilian construction contract, the project said. Aryanto was acting on behalf of a man named Alexander, who recruited people to send to Russia and arranged Sukamto's trip.

On July 22, Sukamto flew to Moscow with a man named Charles Kumar. They were housed in an apartment with two Russians, and Sukamto signed a one-year "construction" contract. In fact, the project says, the contract was with Russia's Ministry of Defence, and he was assigned to the 39th Brigade (military unit 35390).

Learning What He Had Signed

Sukamto and Charles learned what they had signed on July 30, on a bus carrying them and 12 others from Moscow to occupied Donetsk, the project said. According to Sukamto, he and another Indonesian then tried to escape but were detained. He says he was then forcibly tattooed with an identification number on his chest.

Sent to an Assault Without Training

No training was held, even a formal one, according to the project. Sukamto and other foreigners were taken to the Zaporizhzhia region under the supervision of Russian commanders to take part in an assault. His group came under Ukrainian drone strikes and was broken down. Sukamto wandered for several days before reaching Ukrainian positions, where he was taken prisoner.

In October, Brig. Gen. Dmytro Usov, secretary of Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, met Indonesia's ambassador to Ukraine, Arif Basalamah. The Ukrainian side said it was ready to agree to a consular visit to Sukamto.

292 Indonesians

The project says that, according to its data, Russia has recruited at least 292 Indonesians and is trying to speed up recruitment amid heavy losses at the front. We reported earlier on Indonesia's Foreign Ministry asking Moscow to stop recruiting its citizens.

A Safe Way Out

Indonesians and other foreign nationals lured into Russia's armed forces have an option to safely escape the battlefield with Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project. See our FAQ for recommendations for victims of Russian military recruitment and their families.