The migration of Transcarpathian Hungarian minorities after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war: changing patterns and spatial characteristics

Abstract

In Ukraine, the geopolitical crises of the past decade – particularly the conflicts in eastern Ukraine that began in 2014 and the Russian invasion in 2022 – have significantly transformed the socio-economic conditions in Transcarpathia. As a result, the emigration of Transcarpathian Hungarians has intensified, and their migration patterns have changed. Still, due to opportunities created by Hungary’s kin-state policies, Hungary remains the primary destination for their migration, with Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County playing a prominent role within the country.

Based on statistical data analysis and qualitative fieldwork, this study aims to map (1) the volume, spatial characteristics, and dynamics of migration from Ukraine to Hungary following the full-scale Russian military invasion; (2) the main features for the migration of Transcarpathian Hungarians to Hungary; and (3) the residential preferences of those who have relocated to Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County.

Our investigation highlights that the current wave of migration is interrelated with mobility processes of the previous periods: namely, transnational networks, property purchases, and citizenship benefits established during the 2010s are the catalysts for the current migration. The post-2022 relocations occurred through the (re)activation of these earlier transnational family strategies, in ways that are statistically untraceable or barely traceable, and resulting in the increasing replacement of the previously common dual residency with permanent residence in Hungary. Regarding the residential choices of the relocated families, we found that border crossing points play a significant role, with 20-50% of the population near these points being of Transcarpathian origin, typically originating from the vicinity of the respective border crossing –indicating that geographical proximity is an important factor on the sending side as well.