JAKARTA - Indonesia is verifying claims that eight citizens were recruited into Russia's armed forces, including whether they were misled by civilian job offers.

Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said in a government statement that authorities are checking the individuals' identities and citizenship, how they were recruited and what form their alleged involvement took.

"We are taking the information from Ukraine seriously. But we cannot draw conclusions before all the facts have been verified," Yusril said on Sept. 2, according to ANTARA's English report.

The inquiry follows an Aug. 27 report by Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, which said it had obtained documents concerning at least eight Indonesian citizens allegedly recruited into Russia's military.

The Ukrainian agency claimed foreign recruits were attracted with high salaries, non-combat duties, expedited Russian citizenship and social benefits.

Indonesian authorities have also received information pointing to civilian job offers. Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said Indonesian intelligence reported that the eight initially applied for security or administrative jobs offered through a third country before allegedly being sent to serve as soldiers. That account remains subject to the government's verification.

Russia's ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov, denied that Russian diplomatic missions in Indonesia were involved in recruiting people for the Russian armed forces. He said foreign nationals in Russia may independently decide to enter military service and that the embassy was prepared to cooperate with Indonesian authorities if asked.

If authorities establish that any of the eight entered a foreign military without presidential permission, they could face proceedings over their Indonesian citizenship.

Article 23 of Indonesia's 2006 Citizenship Law lists entering a foreign military without prior presidential permission as a ground for losing citizenship, while Yusril said any determination must follow verification and the prescribed administrative process.

The government is also examining whether fraud, exploitation or deceptive employment offers were involved, with the findings expected to shape both any protection response and the assessment of possible legal consequences.

"The state has an interest in protecting its citizens, but at the same time we must also enforce the law," Yusril said.