EU state accuses Ukraine of spying

Kiev has “deep connections” with opposition parties in Hungary, PM Viktor Orban has said

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukraine of intensifying espionage activities in the EU member nation by leveraging opposition political forces. The claim comes amid a mounting diplomatic rift between the neighboring countries.

Long-standing tensions between Hungary and Ukraine escalated earlier this month when both countries expelled two diplomats each after accusing one another of espionage.

“Ukrainian activity has greatly increased in Hungary, and they are organizing operational actions as well,” Orban said on Friday in an interview with Kossuth Radio. He emphasized that the “Ukrainian intelligence service maintains deep connections” with the Hungarian opposition.

Orban claimed that Kiev recently fabricated a story about Hungarian spies, saying it had  “nothing to do with us.” 

The prime minister accused the Ukrainian network allegedly operating in Hungary of spreading “pro-war, pro-Ukrainian propaganda,” and imposing “pro-Ukrainian viewpoints” that run counter to Hungary’s national interests.

Earlier this month, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed it dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network said to be operating in Transcarpathia, Ukraine’s westernmost region. A spokesman said two Ukrainian military veterans – a man and a woman – were detained as part of the operation.

The Hungarian Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as anti-Hungarian propaganda. In response to Kiev’s espionage claims, the Hungarian authorities deported an alleged former Ukrainian spy who Budapest described as “a serious threat to Hungary’s sovereignty.”

On Friday, Orban also claimed that Ukrainian agents were attempting to establish contacts with opposition parties in Hungary to influence public opinion in favor of Ukraine’s accession to the EU.

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“Their intelligence services are conducting operations on Hungarian territory to somehow force the Hungarian government to make such a decision against our interests,” he stressed, adding that Ukraine is using significant funds for these purposes and attempting to “deploy serious resources.”

Tensions between the neighbors have intensified since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, with Hungary refusing to supply weapons or support Kiev’s EU bid. Budapest has also maintained ties with Moscow despite pressure from EU top officials.

Budapest has also long accused Kiev of discriminating against the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. Hungary has criticized Ukrainian laws that limit education and public administration in minority languages, arguing that they infringe upon the rights of ethnic Hungarians.

The Hungarian government has repeatedly criticized the bloc for undermining energy ties with Russia and introducing multiple rounds of sanctions in a bid to support Ukraine. Budapest has argued that the policy has led to a dramatic decline in the competitiveness of EU products, inflicting substantial economic damage.