Overview

• Janes, a specialist military publication, maintains its report that Russia requested to base long-range aircraft in Indonesia's Papua province, citing anonymous Indonesian government sources.
• Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles have both denied that permission was granted for such a deployment.
• Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov, has not explicitly denied the basing request but emphasized the importance of military cooperation in bilateral relations.
• Defence experts warn that the reported request aligns with Russia's broader strategy to project power in the Indo-Pacific and deepen ties with regional nations like Indonesia.
• The controversy has fueled political tensions in Australia, with opposition figures leveraging the issue to criticize the government’s handling of national security.