Federal election 2025: Australia knew of Russian bid for Indonesian air base for months

Australia knew of a Russian bid to use Indonesian military bases for long-range aircraft before the issue was thrown into focus during the election campaign, The Australian has reported.

The broadsheet reported on Monday that the Albanese Government became aware of the Russian request after a meeting in February this year between Russia’s Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu and ­Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.

The request emerged during the election campaign on April 14 that Russia wanted to use an Indonesian base only 1300km from Darwin to house Russian long-range bombers.

Senior Labor figures have responded to the reports by refusing to confirm or deny the request had been made, and only that Indonesian officials had ruled it out.

The reports of a permanent base for potentially long-range Russian military aircraft went further than the earlier advice Australia had, driving calls for more information from the Government

Defence Minister Richard Marles contacted Mr Sjamsoeddin as the reports went further than what the Government had understood.

The Indonesian Defence Minister said on Wednesday the nation would “not allow foreign military bases on our soil.”

But it followed two weeks of refusals from the Prime Minister to weigh in on “the reports” while cabinet minister Murray Watt denied there was not a proposal.

“The opposition is asking for a briefing on something that doesn’t exist. I mean they might as well ask for a briefing on the Loch Ness monster. This is something that doesn’t exist, that they fabricated,” Senator Watt said.

In a statement last week, Russian officials in the region did not deny Moscow had asked to base aircraft in Indonesia, and attacked the AUKUS agreement.

Liberal foreign affairs spokesman David Coleman ­told The Australian Labor had tried for a “dodgy ­attempt to hide from scrutiny”.

“This is a strategically crucial issue which goes to Russia’s ­apparent plans for military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region,” Mr Coleman said.