Liverpool defender Milos Kerkez was added to the list of so-called “enemies of Ukraine“, and the case prompted the intervention of the Hungarian Foreign Minister. The footballer and his father Sebastian were added to the database of the website “Peacemaker“ after Kerkez was involved in a brawl during the match between Hungary and Ukraine in the League of Nations.
After the match, the footballer's father published footage of the incident on Instagram, adding the song “Russian Paradise“ by the Russian rap group AK-47. This caused a sharp reaction from the Ukrainian side and subsequently Kerkez and his father were accused of supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine. The website “Peacemaker“ itself however, is not officially affiliated with the Ukrainian state.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán condemned the listing of Kerkes and Hungarian MP Balazs Hidvegi and said she had held talks with Ukrainian officials, the Hungarian Football Federation and diplomatic representatives to resolve the case. “I categorically condemn the stigmatization, any kind of listing and possible threats against Hungarian citizens Milos Kerkes and Balazs Hidvegi“, she said.
Kerkes himself also rejected the accusations: “I personally have never supported and do not support any aggression in my life. I am not a person who considers anything that causes harm to other people acceptable. In a football match there is always tension, and in the match with Ukraine all I did was to protect our captain and my friend. I would have done it no matter which country our opponent was. It's also important that my father is not me. Whatever he does, I cannot be responsible for his actions.“