Indonesia may not have officially shipped aid to Ukraine, yet the country’s most popular instant noodles brand Indomie was found at an abandoned army base — a testament to its universal popularity and practicality.
On May 28, Russian news agency RIA Novosti published a story about Russian troops scouring an abandoned Ukrainian base in the village of Troitskoye. Russian-backed forces captured the territory a week prior.
What became the talking point all the way in Indonesia was the discovery of four packs of Indomie’s Mi Goreng Hot and Spicy left behind by Ukrainian forces at the base.
In a statement to local media yesterday, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah put the Indomie discovery down to the brand’s global popularity.
Coconuts today sought clarification from Faizasyah on whether or not the noodles were part of aid sent by Indonesia to Ukraine.
“The distribution of humanitarian aid from Indonesia, which will be carried out by the Ukrainian Red Cross, is still in the finalization process,” the spokesman said.
“So Indonesia has not yet distributed aid [to Ukraine].”
The official’s statement effectively ruled out Indonesia’s role in the noodles’ packages, so it is likely that the Indomie were part of foreign provisions for Ukrainian forces. After all, the Russian troops in RIA Novosti’s report also found chips from the US, muesli from the UK, and other food items and cigarettes from all around the world scattered throughout the base (not to mention all those cute kittens).
Coincidentally, there was a huge concern that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to an Indomie shortage, since Indonesia is one of Ukraine’s biggest wheat buyers. However, stocks and prices of Indomie — in Indonesia, at least — remain stable, with the noodles’ producer PT Indofood saying its wheat supply remains safe this year.
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