Ukrainian authorities reveal Hungarian espionage network

Ukrainian authorities reveal Hungarian espionage network

Ukraine uncovered a network of Hungarian spies on Friday, attempted to secure defense in a border region for Ukraine . This is the first time that such an operation was recognized.

arrests and allegations

The security services of Ukraine (SBU) announced that they had arrested two agents of Hungarian secret services that were said to have reported to a contact man in the Hungarian military intelligence service. These agents had searched for weaknesses in the ground and air defense system in the southwestern region of Transkarpatien, which borders on Hungary.

"Extensive measures are currently underway to bring all members of the Hungarian secret network to trial," said Sbu.

reactions from Hungary

Hungary reacted to the arrests by showing two employees of the Ukrainian embassy in Budapest. The Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reported on his Facebook page that two spies that were "under diplomatic guise" in the message were asked to leave.

The relationships between Ukraine and Hungary are tense. This is due to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as well as the Ukrainian EU candidate. Hungary also criticized the European sanctions against Moscow.

allegations and propaganda

Peter Szijjarto commented on the arrests and described it as part of a larger information strategy. On X He wrote that the war in Ukraine not only Battlefield, but also in the information room.

He demanded that information and details about the allegations should be provided in order to be able to react objectively. "Until then, I have to classify this as a careful propaganda," said Szijjarto to journalists.

Details of the operation

The SBU reported that the Hungarian spies should collect information about the military security and the views of the residents. They also analyzed “behavior scenarios” if Hungarian troops were to march in Transcarpaties.

A man from Berehove in Transcarpaties was recruited in 2021 and activated last September. He is accused of having collected information about the location of Ukrainian defense systems, including the S-300 flight defense system. In addition, he is accused of having tried to recruit two other men and build an “informant network”.

the ethnic minority

The Transkarpatien region remained part of Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union. She was formerly part of the Kingdom of Hungary and later Czechoslovakia. According to a census from 2001, just over 150,000 ethnic Hungarians lived there, with the number generally considered to be sunk. Last year, representatives of the Hungarian -speaking community criticized a Ukrainian draft law that wanted to restrict the use of the Hungarian language in schools.

The two countries also had differences in Hungary's decision from 2011 to loosen the naturalization procedures and to give everyone who speak Hungarian and Hungarian ancestors, even if they have never been in Hungary. Since then, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have received Hungarian passes, although Ukraine does not allow a double citizenship.

orban and the EU

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke out against Ukraine's joining the EU, Partly based on claims that ethnic Hungarians in West Ukraine have experienced discrimination. Orban continues to maintain good relationships with Moscow and spoke out against the growing EU sanctions against Russia and against EU aid packages for Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Orban expressed: "EU President Ursula von der Leyen would like to pump another billion to Ukraine, continue to move Europe into a lost war and push a bankrotive state into the EU. Hungary will not agree."