Nine foreign nationals suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of Ukrainian citizen Igor Yermakov may still be hiding in Bali, according to Ariasandi, head of the Bali Police Public Relations Department.
Police are coordinating with immigration authorities to monitor the possible movements of the suspects.
“They are likely still here. We cannot say for certain, but there is a risk that some may have left the island before we initiated coordination. However, most of them are probably still in Bali,” Ariasandi stated.
At this stage, Interpol has not issued a warrant, as authorities believe the suspects remain on the island. Police attempted to contact them through embassies and consulates, but predictably, these efforts yielded no results.
“If they try to leave Bali, their details will appear in the immigration system, and we will be able to detain them immediately,” Ariasandi explained.
As of now, no official travel ban has been issued against the suspects because the evidence remains insufficient. The primary basis for their identification comes from the victim’s testimony, claiming he recognized their voices.
“He insists he recognized them by their voices, even though they were masked and never showed their faces,” said the police representative. However, it remains unclear how exactly the victim identified them or what prior connection he had with them. It seems police do not find this form of identification strong enough to fully escalate the investigation.
The attack took place on December 15, 2024. A group of nine individuals allegedly stole crypto assets worth approximately 3.4 billion IDR from Yermakov.
Yermakov was traveling in a white BMW with his driver when their car was blocked on the road in the Ungasan area by two vehicles: a Toyota Alphard in front and another car behind them.
Four masked men dressed in black emerged from the first vehicle. They were armed with a knife, a hammer, and a gun. The assailants forced Yermakov and his driver into one of their vehicles, tied them up, and covered their heads with black bags.
Some footage of the abduction was captured by the victim’s dashcam and later surfaced online.
One person has already been arrested and later released in connection with the case—MMA fighter Hasan Askhabov.
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