RFE
Ukraine’s main security agency announced it has uncovered an espionage network allegedly directed by Hungary, seeking sensitive information on military defense and public sentiment in Ukraine’s western Zakarpattia region. This area borders Hungary and has a large ethnic Hungarian population.
In response, Hungary expelled two Ukrainian diplomats, claiming they were undercover spies. The expulsions have further escalated tensions between the two neighboring countries, whose relations have been strained by diverging positions on Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on May 9 that it arrested two suspected agents in Zakarpattia, alleging their handler was a Hungarian military intelligence officer. The SBU stated this is the first time Ukraine has exposed a Hungarian spy ring working to undermine national security.
This revelation comes against the backdrop of worsening relations, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has maintained warm ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and consistently opposed EU sanctions against the Kremlin, despite Russia’s ongoing aggression.
Hungary has offered far less support to Ukraine than most other EU and NATO members. The espionage case also touches on long-running sensitivities in Zakarpattia, where Kremlin critics have accused Russia of trying to inflame ethnic tensions between the Ukrainian government and the region’s Hungarian minority.
Just hours after the SBU announcement, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed that two Ukrainian diplomats had been expelled from Budapest, describing them as covert spies. In a video posted to Facebook, he said the Ukrainian ambassador had been summoned and officially informed of the expulsions.
Szijjártó dismissed the Ukrainian claims as propaganda, stating to ATV television:
“We have received no official notice from Ukraine. This must, for now, be treated as propaganda. Beyond the physical war in Ukraine, there is also a propaganda war. It’s clear that anti-Hungarian propaganda is often used in Ukraine and has frequently proven baseless.”
According to the SBU, the alleged spy ring’s mission included:
- Gathering data on military defenses in Zakarpattia,
- Identifying weak points in ground and air defense systems,
- Assessing public attitudes and how locals might respond if Hungarian forces entered the region.
One of the suspects is a 40-year-old former soldier from Berehove district—a hub of the Hungarian minority, which counts around 100,000 people in Ukraine. The man was reportedly recruited in 2021 and activated in September 2024.
The second suspect is a former member of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces, who had resigned earlier this year.
The SBU claims it has obtained documents proving the male suspect was collecting intelligence on Ukrainian air defense systems and other strategic assets.
The names of the two suspects have not been made public, and as of now, neither Hungary’s Prime Minister’s Office nor the Hungarian Ministry of Defense have issued official comments.
