Hungary ready to invade Transcarpathia? A Russian expert’s opinion
Vladimir Zharynin, deputy director of the Russia-based Institute for CIS Countries, says it is unlikely that Hungary could use military force to invade Transcarpathia (Kárpátalja). Ukraine would not hand over the territory.
Russian expert on Transcarpathia
Vladimir Zharynin, deputy director of the Russian Institute for CIS countries, does not think that Hungary could use military force to invade Transcarpathia, according to the Russian state news agency TASSZ. At least for the time being.
“I do not yet think that Hungary is ready to take over the Hungarian-inhabited part of the country without Ukraine’s consent, i.e. in direct military operations. I do not see such a prospect,”
says Deputy Director Zharynin. He added that he considers it unlikely that Kyiv and Ukraine would give their voluntary consent to the cession of the territories, 24.hu reports.
He also sees “a decision by Transcarpathia to join Hungary” as unlikely.
“If Kyiv does not agree, it will defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity by force,” concludes Tsarihin.
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Transcarpathian Hungarians
The Russian state news agency reports that
more than 150,000 Hungarians live in Ukraine.
Most of the 150,000 Hungarians are from Transcarpathia. In this area, 12 percent of the people are Hungarians, writes alfahír.hu. The Hungarian government has repeatedly expressed concern about the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.
In these debates, the language law, which was originally designed to prevent Russian oppression, was given greater prominence.
This Ukrainian language law also prevents members of the Hungarian minority from learning Hungarian in public education in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Parliament adopted the Law on the Functioning of Ukrainian as the State Language on 25 April 2019. The legislation was already strongly protested by many people. Among them were Hungarian organisations in Transcarpathia. The law makes the use of Ukrainian compulsory in all but private conversations and religious ceremonies.
Read alsoHungary ready to invade Transcarpathia? A Russian expert’s opinion
Source: alfahír.hu, 24.hu