Spy scandal between Hungary and Ukraine: diplomats, drones and ghosts of Trianon

Photo: 5.UA

Spies, special services, geopolitics and language issues can finally quarrel Ukraine and Hungary. Detective passions are already club on both sides of the Carpathian Mountains, and they tried to understand the correspondent Briefly about.

Whose Transcarpathia? Where did it all start? From the recent moment as the Security Service of Ukraine has declared the exposing of a spy network of Hungary’s military intelligence in Transcarpathia? Or from the expulsion of two Ukrainian diplomats from Budapest with spy labels? Or from the confusion Ukrainian drone, what was it or was it?

Let’s dig a little historical soil and look for the roots of the conflict there.

The beginning of the last century of Transcarpathia was part of Hungary-the Trianon Treaty of 1920 between the winners in the First World War and the defeat of Hungary (as the successor of Austria-Hungary). Hungary paid considerable reparations and lost two -thirds of the territory, including this region, which went to Romania (Transylvania, where about 1.2 million ethnic Hungarians live), Czechoslovakia, and then to the USSR and Ukraine.

So far, some nationalists in Hungary are perceived by Transcarpathia as a historically Hungarian territory. And, accordingly, they constantly require more linguistic rights, cultural autonomy for their countrymen and, in some cases, even territorial autonomy (for example, for secces – a sub -ethnic group of Hungarians living in Romania). Similarly, in Slovakia, where 450 thousand Hungarians live – about 8% of the population. Budapest also puts ultimatums, though not as sharply as Ukraine. Just Hungary is friends with Slovakia within the Visegrad Group.

There are many residents in Berehovo – ethnic Hungarians, there is even the Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute. Photo: FB Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute

And the thunder went By the mid-10-ies of the 21st century, the Hungarians in Ukraine about 150,000 lived and lived. Berehove, Mukachevo, Uzhgorod and dozens of border villages spoke in Ukrainian, Russian and Hungarian, ran through the border, carried out smuggling, which was carefully closed by the border guards, and in general, such life arranged many.

The trial shot was fed in 2017, when Ukraine adopted a law on education, which obliged schools to teach minority languages ​​(including Hungarian) gradually switch to Ukrainian in the upper classes. Hungary stated that this violates the rights of the Hungarians to their education in their native language and contradicts international standards. And from that moment Budapest began to block the meeting of the Commission “Ukraine – NATO”, demanding the restoration of the rights of the Hungarians. And greatly interfere with the Euro -Atlantic integration of Ukraine.

Already seriously shot in 2018, when the Ukrainian media published a video in which citizens of Ukraine at the Consulate of Hungary in Beregovoy received Hungarian passports and swore allegiance to Hungary.

The diplomatic crisis was raised because Ukraine does not recognize dual citizenship, and in general it looked like. Ukraine expelled the Hungarian consul, Hungary answered similarly. Ukrainian intelligence services began to develop the version that Hungary uses certification to strengthen the impact on Transcarpathia.

In two years during the local elections in Transcarpathia, the SBU searched the representatives of Hungarian organizations, suspecting them in supporting separatist sentiment. Hungary called it an “anti -Hungarian campaign” and a threat to the Hungarian minority. There was no evidence of espionage, but the precipitate is said to be.

And this year, Hungarian journalist Sabolch Pania openly stated that the Hungarian special services since 2023 have been actively collecting intelligence on Ukraine, transferring them to NATO pool.

In Ukraine, it is not much surprised, but it was clear: Hungary wants to exacerbate. And the pro -Russian rhetoric of President Orban in the EU is therefore a direct confirmation. By the way, Orban himself repeatedly stated that the SBU united with the Hungarian opposition party “Tisa” for the purpose…. Well, let’s say for a conspiracy against the government. And the people should support their leader!

The people of Hungary, who are experiencing a non -laboratory economic decline, treated sluggishly about such prudent initiatives of their head. For the most part, they complained that in a difficult time, he, instead of raising the economy, deals with some conspiracy theories.

The detainees in the coastal people had previously served in the Armed Forces. Photo: SBU stop card

And was there a drone? The Hungarian authorities did not stop the dissatisfaction with the people. The spy scandal has come to a new level.

On May 9, the SBU announced the exposing of the agent network of military intelligence of Hungary, which operated in Transcarpathia. Among the detainees was a 40-year-old exVIBITAL, recruited in 2021, and the former military service of the Armed Forces. They were charged with treason, which threatens life imprisonment. They gathered information about the military security of the region, the vulnerability of air defense, and studied the moods of the local population about the possible appearance of “Hungarian peacekeepers”.

The SBU documented the meetings of one of the agents with the curator in Hungary, during which cash and instructions were transferred. The curator is established – a personnel employee of Hungary’s military intelligence, but his name is not publicly disclosed.

On the same day, Hungary announced the expulsion of two Ukrainian diplomats by Yuri Kernichny and Dmitry Krychfalushi, accusing them of spying under diplomatic cover. Ukraine answered the same.

Also in Budapest was detained and deported a citizen of Ukraine, former diplomat Sergey Alexandrov, whom the Hungarian authorities also suspected on espionage. The Hungarian intelligence services stopped his car, pulled out a man by force and took away in an unknown direction. The detention was accompanied by demonstrative actions: a video where Alexandrov was put in handcuffs in the hand, was published on official pages of power on social networks, and this was perceived as a signal of Kiev.

Alexandrov was in Hungary as an individual, his wife is a co -owner of a Ukrainian restaurant in Budapest, and this adds a household context to history.

On May 12, Hungary canceled the planned consultations from Ukraine Noah on the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Levente Modger has stated that Kiev’s accusations were undermined and made it impossible to negotiate.

In a few days, information emerged that a Ukrainian drone was shot down on the wine region of Tokai in Hungary on May 9. The media referred to the sources in intelligence, which assured that the UAV was also reconnaissance and was shot down by air defense. Someone claimed that it was not a military drone, but smugglers who have arranged illegal cigarettes to Ukraine air.

As a result of the Hungarian Defense Ministry, it generally denied a report of a downed Ukrainian drone, saying that the fighter jets were rising into the air to accompany the glider that went out of the route due to weather conditions.

The Ukrainian explode in Hungary was detained and with a bright picture. Photo: Screenshot from Hungarian Intelligence video

Five special services and one pair of someone’s ears The fact that Hungary has seriously undertaken Ukraine is no longer beyond doubt. But it is unlikely to be small, not particularly independent and weak in military training, the state itself would decide on such a confrontation – not only with Ukraine, but also with the European Union, which “fits in” for it. And the reform of the security system in the 2010s, which resulted in 9.6 million Hungary at once five (!) Special services, allows you to understand whose ears stick out from all spy operations-the state that introduced “a person” in the prime ministers “and for ten years.

For reference: Hungary’s security is protected by the Military National Security Service (KNBSZ), the Constitution Protection Department (AH), the National Protective Service (NVSZ), the Center for Fighting Terrorism (TEK), the Special National Security Service (NBSZ) and the National Information Center (NIK).

Why do you need all this? Orban loses power and popularity – its rhetoric does not like Hungarians. Therefore, it takes a “little victorious war”, even if the pseudo -spy, that the people see and fall to the wide breasts of their leader. The Fidesz Party Rating dropped last year to miserable 27%(and this is 90%!), And now it is barely up to 37%. The following year, the parliamentary elections were planned in Hungary. Everything is clear and logical.

Hungary wants to be friends with Russia. Russia to Hungary to sneak. But to be, let the future vassal show what he is capable of – let him ruin the nerves of Ukraine. At the same time, the attention will be turned on.

If the pressure on Ukraine is not affected, Hungary may seek protection for “Hungarian hostile citizens living in the territory of Hungary temporarily occupied by Ukraine.” To Russia, for example, with a request for “peacekeepers”. Further – according to the already run -in scheme, introduced in 2014 in the Donbass.

In any case, this is not the last Hungarian provocation in the Ukrainian direction, it is obvious that they will still be.

Source: kp.ua