The transfer of two Ukrainian prisoners of war to Hungary by Russia has been condemned by Ukrainian authorities as a serious breach of international humanitarian law. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War issued a statement denouncing this act as a Russian provocation aimed at undermining the Geneva Conventions and international law.
According to the statement, the transfer is perceived as an attempt by Russia to further strain relations between Ukraine and Hungary amid ongoing hybrid aggression against Europe. The headquarters emphasized that support for Russian war crimes and the manipulation of the lives of Ukrainian soldiers could be interpreted by international courts as participation in unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.
The Coordination Headquarters urged all parties involved in this incident to abandon illegal intentions and not to use Ukrainian servicemen, captured as a result of Russian aggression, as bargaining chips. They also called for comprehensive information regarding the health status of the transferred Ukrainian citizens and demanded access for authorized representatives of Ukraine to visit the captured soldiers.
Officials reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to securing the return of all its citizens, including those with dual citizenship, from Russian captivity. They noted that in 2023, a total of 11 Ukrainian citizens were transferred from Russia to Hungary without coordination with Ukrainian authorities.
On March 4, during a meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would release two soldiers, who hold both Ukrainian and Hungarian citizenship and had fought in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, at Hungary’s request. However, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has indicated that they were not provided with information about these individuals and will invite the temporary chargé d’affaires of Hungary to obtain reliable data.
Ukrainian officials have condemned the transfer of two captured soldiers to Hungary by Russia, labeling it a violation of international law. The incident has raised concerns about the manipulation of POWs and the potential impact on Ukraine-Hungary relations.