Hungarian Prime Minister accuses Ukraine of increasing espionage activities

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that his country is engaged in active espionage. According to him, every country does it, but “there is a normal level of it”, while Ukrainian activity in this context has “greatly increased”.

The words of the Hungarian politician are reported by 24.hu.

Orban stressed that the Ukrainians are conducting a disinformation campaign, arresting spies they believe are Hungarian, "which, of course, we have nothing to do with," Orban said.

According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, there is a pro-war, pro-Ukrainian propaganda network operating in Hungary, and the countryʼs opposition parties have ties to Ukrainian special services.

According to him, the opposition parties did not deny this — Orban allegedly saw a video where Ukrainian agents provide services and organize visits for Hungarian opposition parties.

What preceded

On the morning of May 9, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported that it had detained two agents of the Hungarian military intelligence spy network. According to the investigation, the former serviceman and former servicewoman of the Defense Forces of Ukraine were collecting information about the defense of Transcarpathia, looking for weaknesses in ground and air defense, and studying the mood of the locals — in particular, how they might behave if the Hungarian military entered the region. The suspects have already been sent for arrest.

After that, Hungary expelled two Ukrainian diplomats — Ukraine responded in kind. Later, a former diplomat from Ukraine was detained in Hungary and accused of espionage. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi wrote at the time that “when the evidence runs out, the witch hunt begins”. And on May 20, Hungary informed that it had discovered two more “Ukrainian spies”.

• Hungary has consistently opposed military aid to Ukraine, its membership in the EU and NATO, and the lifting of sanctions against Russia. The country is even planning to hold a national consultation on whether Hungarians support Ukraineʼs accession to the EU. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has publicly urged citizens to vote against. However, this vote will not affect Ukraineʼs accession to the bloc.

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