Russian citizens receiving Hungarian citizenship double since Ukraine war began
New Eurostat data reveals that the number of Russians granted Hungarian citizenship has doubled since before the war in Ukraine, reaching a decade-long high. At the same time, significantly fewer Ukrainians are applying for Hungarian citizenship, despite the ongoing conflict.
Russia’s war in Ukraine: how it affected the EU’s population
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Hungary’s police began publishing daily reports on the number of people entering the country from Ukraine (one example from June 2022 HERE). These figures seemed to suggest that millions of Ukrainians had crossed into Hungary. However, it soon became clear that these statistics included commuters and transit travellers (not just refugees), making the numbers largely meaningless, HVG writes.
Yet, meaningful changes can be seen in official EU statistics. While it’s difficult to determine exactly how many Ukrainians settled in Hungary since the war began, the EU’s population has grown significantly, from 445 to 449 million between 2022 and 2024, due in large part to war-driven migration.
How can we see the effect of war in Hungary?
In Hungary, however, the unexpected trend is the sharp rise in Russian nationals receiving citizenship. While it’s common for people from Romania and Slovakia to top the list—due to ethnic Hungarian communities living there—the third most common nationality in 2023 was Russian. A total of 138 Russians received Hungarian citizenship two years ago, more than double the pre-war average.
In contrast, only 72 Ukrainians were granted Hungarian citizenship in 2023—half the number from the mid-2010s. This drop stands out especially because, across the EU, Ukrainian applications have generally increased: for example, in Germany, the number of Ukrainians granted citizenship rose from 1,900 in 2021 to 5,600 in 2022 and further to 5,900 in 2023.
Hungary is now one of only five EU countries where Russians rank in the top three among those receiving citizenship—the others are Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, and Finland. Unlike Hungary, those countries also saw a rise in Ukrainian citizenships.
Read also:
- Acquiring Hungarian citizenship: A 2025 guide for foreign students, expats, and tourists
- Why and how can Hungarian citizenship be suspended — and how to regain it?
Featured image: depositphotos.com