Hungary summoned Ukraine’s ambassador, Fyodor Shandor, on Thursday following accusations that Ukrainian recruitment officials fatally assaulted a Hungarian man. The incident reportedly occurred in Ukraine’s western Zakarpatye Region, home to a significant Hungarian community. Hungarian Parliamentary State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Levente Magyar, condemned the act, saying it was “outrageous and unacceptable” to kill someone, particularly a Hungarian, for refusing military service. According to Hungarian media, Jozsef Sebestyen’s family posted on Facebook alleging that he was beaten with iron rods by draft officials and succumbed to his injuries on July 6, three weeks after the alleged attack.
A reported acquaintance claimed that Sebestyen was “ambushed” in Beregovo, forcibly taken to a van, and assaulted at a recruitment office in Uzhgorod. Another source mentioned that he was enlisted in the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and later beaten in a forest near Mukachevo. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed condolences to Sebestyen’s family on Facebook, standing in solidarity with them. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Ground Forces presented their version, claiming Sebestyen was “legally mobilized” and fit for service but later deserted and admitted himself to a hospital.
The military reported no evidence of physical assault, attributing his death on July 6 to a pulmonary embolism. As Ukrainian forces face setbacks against Russia, the country has intensified recruitment efforts amidst warnings of personnel shortages from commanders. Social media is awash with footage of draft officers forcibly detaining military-aged men in public.
