KYIV: Ukraine’s SBU safety company stated on Friday (Could 9) it had uncovered a spy community run by the Hungarian state to acquire intelligence about its defences, with Hungary responding to what it referred to as “propaganda” by expelling two folks on the Ukrainian embassy in Budapest.
The SBU stated in an announcement it had detained two suspected brokers who, it stated, have been being run by Hungarian navy intelligence.
It was the primary time in Ukraine’s historical past {that a} Hungarian spy community had been discovered to be working towards Kyiv’s pursuits, it stated.
Hungary is a part of the European Union and NATO, two blocs with which Kyiv is carefully allied in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, however relations between Kyiv and Budapest have typically been fraught.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been sceptical about Western navy help for Ukraine. He has additionally maintained relations with Vladimir Putin, placing him at odds with most different EU leaders, who’ve sought to isolate the Russian president since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The SBU stated the 2 suspects have been former members of Ukraine’s navy, have been in custody and had been given discover they have been below suspicion of committing state treason.
It stated they have been recruited by a handler in Hungarian navy intelligence, and given money and particular tools for secret communication.
The SBU stated the alleged brokers have been tasked with passing on to their handler particulars about Ukraine’s air defence batteries, and different navy capabilities within the Transcarpathia area of southern Ukraine.
Ukraine is house to round 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, most of them within the Transcarpathia area. Orban’s authorities and Kyiv have clashed over the neighborhood’s language rights.
Hungarian International Minister Peter Szijjarto informed a press convention he regarded the transfer as Ukrainian propaganda that must be handled with warning earlier than saying that Budapest had expelled from Hungary two folks it had recognized as spies.
“We don’t tolerate that Ukraine ought to constantly launch such defamatory acts towards Hungary and the Hungarian folks,” Szijjarto stated in a Fb video.
“Due to this fact, right now we now have expelled from Hungary two spies working below diplomatic cowl at Ukraine’s embassy in Budapest,” he stated.
Szijjarto accused Ukraine of typically utilizing anti-Hungarian propaganda that proved unfounded and stated Ukraine’s newest transfer was pushed by Hungary’s opposition to offering navy help to Ukraine because it fends off Russia’s three-year-old invasion.
There was no rapid response to a request for remark from the Hungarian authorities.
Hungary is a part of the European Union and NATO, two blocs with which Ukraine is carefully allied within the conflict it’s combating with Russia.
Nevertheless, relations between the 2 international locations have typically been fraught. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been sceptical about Western navy help for Ukraine.
He has additionally maintained relations with Vladimir Putin, placing him at odds with most different EU leaders who’ve sought to isolate the Russian president since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The SBU stated the 2 suspects are former members of the Ukrainian navy. It stated they have been recruited by a handler in Hungarian navy intelligence, and given money and particular tools for secret communication.
The brokers have been tasked with passing on to their handler particulars about Ukraine’s air defence batteries, and different navy capabilities within the Transcarpathia area of southern Ukraine, which borders Hungary.
