Ukraine’s SBU security agency announced on Friday that it had dismantled a spy network allegedly operated by Hungarian military intelligence to gather sensitive information about Ukrainian defences. In a swift and pointed reaction, Hungary labelled the claim as “propaganda” and expelled two staff members from Ukraine’s embassy in Budapest.
In a statement, the SBU said it had arrested two former Ukrainian military personnel suspected of acting as agents for Hungarian intelligence. It said they were now in custody and formally under investigation for state treason.
“This is the first time in Ukraine’s history that a Hungarian spy network has been uncovered operating against our national interests,” the agency said. According to the SBU, the suspects were recruited by a Hungarian handler and provided with cash and encrypted communication tools to relay military intelligence, particularly relating to Ukraine’s air defence systems and other strategic assets in the Transcarpathia region.
Ukraine’s Transcarpathia region is home to an estimated 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, a community that has long been a point of tension between Kyiv and Budapest, especially over language rights.
The revelation comes amid historically strained relations between the two neighbours. Hungary, while a member of the EU and NATO, has consistently adopted a softer stance towards Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has openly questioned the efficacy of Western military support for Ukraine and continues to maintain ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, setting him apart from most of his European counterparts.
In response to the SBU’s announcement, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto rejected the allegations as politically motivated and lacking credibility. Speaking at a press conference, Szijjarto said Hungary “does not tolerate Ukraine’s continued defamation” of the Hungarian state and people.
“To make our position clear, today we have expelled two spies working under diplomatic cover at Ukraine’s embassy in Budapest,” Szijjarto said in a Facebook video.
He claimed Ukraine had repeatedly launched anti-Hungarian campaigns that later proved groundless, accusing Kyiv of targeting Hungary in retaliation for its opposition to providing military aid in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
As tensions escalate, the incident underscores the deepening rift between Ukraine and Hungary—two countries nominally allied within Europe’s broader security architecture but increasingly divided by conflicting geopolitical priorities.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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