Earlier this month, Indonesian company Evello, which specializes in social media monitoring and analysis, published a report showing that Indonesian netizens strongly support the Russian operation in Ukraine. The response can be attributed to the negative attitude of the general population in the country towards the US and NATO, experts believe.
"Indeed, Indonesian public actively support the special military operation led by Russia in Ukraine," Vorobyova said.
The ambassador noted that several factors account for this.
"First, it’s worth noting that there are grave anti-American sentiments in the country because of the US and its allies’ track record of aggression towards Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and other countries. Another factor that evokes such a reaction from the public are the fruitless attempts of the West to fight terrorism, which lead to numerous deaths of 'brothers in faith', as Indonesia is the largest Muslim country by population," Vorobyova said.
Another critical aspect is the personal authority of the Russian president, according to the ambassador.
"The president’s actions aimed at building a fair multipolar world are frequently compared in Indonesia to the politics of the first president of Indonesia Sukarno, who had an anti-west stance and did a lot to establish close relations with the USSR," the ambassador added.
Moreover, for Indonesians, Russia serves as an example of a country on a path to reaching inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony, Vorobyova stressed.
"We often see local news outlets extensively cover the development of Islam in Russia. In this context, the participation of the Russian Muslim military including those from the Chechen Republic is met with great approval," the official noted.
On 24 February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow.