Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced Friday it had uncovered a Hungarian espionage network operating in the southwestern Zakarpattia region, detaining two alleged agents accused of gathering sensitive military intelligence for Hungarian defense services.
In a statement, the SBU described the operation as the first known case of Hungarian state-linked espionage on Ukrainian soil. The suspects were identified as a 40-year-old man from the majority ethnic Hungarian town of Berehove and a recently retired female Ukrainian service member.
For the first time in Ukraine’s history, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has uncovered a spy network operated by Hungarian military intelligence, targeting national security interests.
The agents focused on gathering intelligence in the Zakarpattia region—assessing… pic.twitter.com/eiUKCpLerl
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 9, 2025
“Comprehensive measures are currently underway to bring all members of the Hungarian intelligence network to justice,” the SBU stated
According to Ukrainian authorities, the male suspect was recruited by a Hungarian military intelligence officer in 2021 and “activated” in September 2024. He was reportedly tasked with collecting intelligence on air defense systems, including the deployment of S-300 missile platforms, the locations of Ukrainian military units, and local population sentiment in Hungarian-speaking areas regarding a hypothetical Hungarian incursion.
The second suspect, a woman who resigned from the Ukrainian Armed Forces in early 2025, allegedly shared operational details of her former unit, including the movement of aircraft and helicopters in the Zakarpattia region.
In response to the arrests, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó dismissed the allegations as “propaganda that must be handled with caution” during a press conference in Budapest. He said Hungary had not received official documentation from Ukraine. “If we receive any details or official information, then we will be able to deal with this,” Szijjártó said
Later Friday, Szijjártó announced via Facebook that Hungary had expelled two Ukrainian diplomats from its embassy in Budapest, claiming they were “spies working under diplomatic cover.”
In turn, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Hungarian ambassador in Kyiv and expelled two Hungarian diplomats, citing the principle of reciprocity.
“We are acting in response to Hungary’s actions, based on the principle of reciprocity and our national interests,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a statement on X
The diplomatic fallout marks a new low in already strained relations between Ukraine and Hungary. Although both are European neighbors, Budapest has repeatedly distanced itself from Kyiv’s wartime policies.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has maintained a neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, frequently criticizing European sanctions against Moscow and opposing accelerated Ukrainian accession to the European Union.
“The past three years have shown that the war in Ukraine is being fought not only on the battlefield, but also in the information space,” Szijjártó wrote on X. “Anti-Hungarian propaganda is often used without any factual basis
Ukraine’s SBU countered that the espionage network was real and actively undermining national security. It said the detainees’ tasks included assessing local population behavior in the event of Hungarian military intervention and identifying military vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s western defense zones.
For the first time in history, Ukraine’s SBU has uncovered a Hungarian spy network operating in Zakarpattia. Agents from Hungary’s military intelligence were caught gathering info on local defenses and public sentiment — in case of military deployment. Two suspects, ex-military,… pic.twitter.com/a2nWWcTi9s
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) May 9, 2025
The man from Berehove, according to the SBU, attempted to acquire weapons on the black market and expand his circle of informants.
As of Friday, no additional members of the network have been publicly named. Investigations remain ongoing, and the SBU indicated further arrests are possible.
