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Radical Ukrainian officer targets Hungary: ‘We could be there in 2 minutes’
Another chapter in Hungarian-Ukrainian tensions opened after a Ukrainian officer, leader of the radical C14 group, threatened military action against Hungary. He warned, “We would arrive in Hungary in two minutes if needed,” sparking diplomatic concern in Budapest.
Who is behind the threat?
Yevhen Karas, a Ukrainian major and at the same time the leader of the radical C14 organisation, appeared in a video that has recently come to light, threatening Hungary with military intervention.
Karas is a military officer decorated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the leader of an extremist nationalist group, C14. The organisation has been responsible for multiple racist actions: in 2018, for example, they forced Roma families out of their homes, beat them, and set their dwellings on fire. These attacks were carried out by masked, armed members.
Although the far-right is a marginal actor in Ukraine, its voice and activities periodically surface in public life.
What exactly did Karas say?
In the roundtable discussion shared by Mandiner, Karas spoke clearly: Ukraine does not only consider Russia an enemy but any country that “acts hostile” toward them.
He referred to the Hungarian Prime Minister as a “little yapping dog,” and explicitly mentioned Hungary:
“Now a single 128th brigade would arrive within two minutes if Orbán suddenly said…”
The sentence remained unfinished, but the message immediately sparked debate. Pro-government Hungarian circles interpret it as an open threat, while Ukrainian sources say the statement was more a hypothetical scenario than a concrete plan.
Why are Hungarian-Ukrainian relations so tense?
The Karas incident did not happen in a vacuum. Hungarian-Ukrainian relations further deteriorated in 2025, when Budapest expelled three Ukrainian military officials, accusing them of participating in forced conscriptions and violations of the law. Kyiv called this “nonsense” and a provocation, threatening diplomatic and legal action in response.
The real question, however, is not whether Ukraine would actually attack Hungary, but how much such rhetoric pushes the two countries apart, and how far Kyiv can allow itself to tolerate extremist voices within its own military ranks.
Could Ukraine’s EU candidacy be questioned?
European People’s Party leaders – including Manfred Weber – and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen support Ukraine’s integration into the EU.
However, the Hungarian government’s position is that the accession process cannot be automatic, and every candidate must fully meet the rule-of-law and security requirements. János Bóka, Minister for European Union Affairs, also emphasised in his statement that Hungary firmly rejects any statement projecting military action against an EU member state.
This new tension between the two countries could spark serious debate over EU enlargement policy.
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What happens next?
The question now is how Brussels and Washington will respond. If the Ukrainian side does not distance itself from Karas, it could create diplomatic rifts in Western Europe, especially among governments already questioning the extent of support for Ukraine.
For Hungary, this may be an opportunity to reinforce its narrative that Ukraine is not a reliable partner.
Ukraine, however, risks political isolation from its own allies if it fails to clearly distance itself from such statements, given that they constitute a threat against an EU member state.
Idk if the EU needs more bluffers like these. We have enough with orban. Ukraine will only bring problems but thats why Hungary should also leave th EU. No real benefit to hold them in the EU
Is someone looking for an election issue here? Ukraine is not going to attack Hungary. Ukraine depends on NATO for support, and would even like to join someday. Hungary is still a member of that treaty organization, even if our leaders seldom act like it. As we say back in the old country, “It ain’t gonna happen”.