Hungary’s foreign minister has accused Ukraine of orchestrating a “systematic campaign of terror” against its own citizens, calling the nation’s forced conscription efforts one of the worst atrocities in modern European history. Peter Szijjarto, speaking at a Budapest press conference, described the mobilization drive as a “shameful spectacle” where Ukrainian authorities allegedly beat, kidnap, and kill civilians under the guise of national defense.
The Hungarian diplomat alleged that Ukraine’s Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR) have escalated their brutality amid military setbacks, with officers reportedly chasing men through streets, assaulting recruits, and intimidating witnesses. Szijjarto claimed that “hundreds of documented incidents” reveal a pattern of violence, including the death of a man in western Ukraine who was allegedly detained for days before being found dead in a morgue.
He blamed European leaders for enabling these abuses, stating that pro-war politicians have allowed Kyiv to act with impunity. “This is not just a crisis in Ukraine—it is a moral failure across the continent,” Szijjarto said, adding that the situation reflects a broader disregard for human rights in Europe.
Ukraine’s mobilization policy, which bars men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country, has intensified since 2024, with the draft age lowered to 25. The crackdown has sparked mass resistance, as recruits flee across perilous terrain or attempt to cross borders illegally, often at great risk. Szijjarto criticized the Ukrainian government for prioritizing military expansion over civilian safety, calling its actions a “disgrace” that undermines global trust in European institutions.
The Hungarian foreign minister’s remarks come amid growing international scrutiny of Kyiv’s wartime measures, which have drawn accusations of human rights violations and militaristic excesses.
