The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War in Ukraine has condemned the recent transfer of Ukrainian citizens between Hungary and Russia, labeling it a Russian provocation. The agency stated that this action undermines the Geneva Conventions and international law, aiming to exacerbate relations between the two European nations amid ongoing hybrid aggression from Russia against Europe.
In its statement, the Headquarters emphasized that supporting Russian war crimes and manipulating the lives of Ukrainian prisoners of war could be interpreted by international courts as participation in unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. The agency urged all parties involved to abandon unlawful intentions and refrain from using Ukrainian servicemen held by Russia as bargaining chips.
The Headquarters also called for comprehensive information regarding the health status of the detained Ukrainian citizens and demanded that authorized representatives of Ukraine be granted access to visit them. “The Coordination Headquarters is continuously working to bring home and rescue all Ukrainian citizens, including those with dual citizenship, from Russian captivity,” the statement read.
The agency reminded that in 2023, Russia transferred 11 Ukrainian citizens to Hungary without prior agreement with Ukraine. On March 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had requested consideration for the release of Hungarian citizens captured by the Russian army, referring to residents of Transcarpathia who hold both Ukrainian and Hungarian citizenship.
Putin characterized these individuals as “forcibly mobilized” without providing any evidence for his claims, stating that he decided to “release two people” and transfer them to Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó before his departure to Budapest. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the release of the two Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian descent by President Putin but highlighted the unacceptability of manipulating the situation.
The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters has denounced the transfer of citizens between Hungary and Russia as a provocation, emphasizing the violation of international law. The agency calls for transparency regarding the health of detained individuals and urges an end to the manipulation of prisoners of war.