Four university students from Ukraine’s ethnic Hungarian minority were detained on November 4th after visiting a military recruitment office in Berehove (Beregszász), in western Ukraine, to update their personal data as required by law. They were released the following evening after Budapest intervened.
The incident took place in Transcarpathia, a region bordering Hungary that is home to a sizeable Hungarian-speaking community. According to local Hungarian organisations, the students had been summoned to update their details but were instead held in the recruitment centre for hours.
The Party of Hungarians of Ukraine (KMKSZ) said the detention was unlawful, arguing that “restrictions on personal freedom, including detention, are governed exclusively by Ukrainian law,” and that a routine data update “is not an act that would justify” such measures. The group described the case as unprecedented and said it violated legislation that exempts full-time students from military service for the duration of their studies.
KMKSZ has formally appealed to Ukraine’s defence minister, national ombudsman, and the Transcarpathian regional military administration, calling for an investigation.
Viktória Ferenc, a Member of the European Parliament from Hungary’s ruling Fidesz–KDNP coalition who represents Transcarpathian Hungarians, also condemned the incident. She said the four students had effectively been “kidnapped” for forced conscription, warning that such actions were incompatible with Ukraine’s bid for EU membership.
“We demand that the recruitment centre immediately release the detained students, and we will do everything we can to make this case public at the EU level,” she wrote. “We cannot remain silent about the daily human rights violations in Ukraine during the war mobilization.”
Ferenc said many Ukrainians — not only ethnic Hungarians — were increasingly weary of war and of alleged mistreatment linked to mobilisation. Local activists pointed to previous cases in which men reportedly suffered violence during forced recruitment, including one case ending in death.
Hungary’s Foreign Ministry said it followed the situation “throughout the day” and remained in contact with KMKSZ and university leadership. “Ukrainian law is clear on this point: these students are exempt from conscription,” the ministry said.
By Wednesday evening, the students had been released. Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, welcomed the move but said the episode highlighted wider problems linked to wartime mobilisation.
“This is good news, but it again draws attention to the importance of peace. The sooner there is peace, the sooner the violent conscription will end,” he said, adding that Hungary would continue to advocate for peace during upcoming talks in Washington.
