Vanadium carbonitride (VCN) nanoparticles were synthesized by a mechanically induced magnesiothermic combustion in a Mg/V2O5/C3H6N6 system. Initial materials ignited after a short milling time of 6 min. Various characterizations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and elemental mapping confirmed that the product of the combustion was a mixed carbonitride. In this process, magnesium reduces vanadium oxide to generate elemental V and a great amount of heat. Melamine decomposes due to the temperature rise, and its decomposed species form the carbonitride compound. The chemical composition of the synthesized product was estimated to be VC0.26N0.36.