Hungarian spy scandal in Ukraine: did Hungarian intelligence gather military data for Moscow?
On 9 May, the Ukrainian Internal Security Service (SZBU) released a video showing the arrest of two agents working for Hungarian military intelligence in Transcarpathia (Kárpátalja), Ukraine. The recording not only documents the two men’s activities but could also have extremely serious consequences from a diplomatic and national security perspective. Tensions between the Hungarian and Ukrainian governments have reached a new level, and the scandal could also negatively impact the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. The Hungarian spy scandal based on information available so far:
Hungarian spy scandal in Ukraine
The timing alone speaks volumes. Although the arrest took place earlier, the SZBU only released the video on 9 May, the day of Victory in World War II, which Russia celebrates every year with a grandiose military parade. Given the symbolic date chosen, it is reasonable to assume that the action was intended to send a political message to Hungary and Russia. The decision to make the video public was probably not an ad hoc one: it is conceivable that NATO allies, including the US, were informed in advance, given the expected severity of the scandal.
One of the suspects was a 40-year-old former Ukrainian soldier from the Berehove (Beregszász) district, where there is a significant Hungarian minority (approx. 100,000 people). He was recruited in 2021 and activated for intelligence duties in September 2024. The other agent was also a former soldier who left the service in 2025.
According to the information in the video, local agents of Hungarian intelligence were tasked with gathering military and social data: the movements of Ukrainian units in Transcarpathia, local sentiment, and the population’s reactions to the possible arrival of Hungarian or NATO peacekeepers were among their targets.
However, the most surprising and worrying aspect is that they tried to obtain specific information about Ukrainian air defence, in particular, the exact type and location of S-300 missile systems. The espionage scandal therefore goes beyond the minority conflicts typical of the region: the military intelligence service of a NATO member state collected sensitive data on the defence system of a partner state at war—information that is much more valuable to Russia than to Hungary.
The main question is why Budapest would need detailed information about the air defence of Transcarpathia. The Hungarian Air Force clearly has no plans to attack Ukraine. The Russian army, on the other hand, has already attempted several drone and missile attacks on Lviv via the southern airspace of Transcarpathia. Due to the specific characteristics of the region – mountainous terrain, limited electronic detection – this information could be of strategic importance to Moscow.
Hungary’s response further exacerbated the dispute
After the scandal broke, Hungary did not remain idle. The Counter-Terrorism Centre (TEK) captured a Ukrainian citizen in Budapest in a spectacular operation. You can watch the video here: Hungarian government shares video of Ukrainian man’s dramatic arrest amid spy controversy. The score would have been even if one more person had been arrested. Still, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó did not calm the situation, but instead exacerbated it by ordering two Ukrainian intelligence agents working under diplomatic cover to leave the country within 48 hours.
This move was an escalation in several respects: on the one hand, it acknowledged the seriousness of the Ukrainian accusations, and on the other, it made it impossible for the parties to settle the matter quietly through diplomatic channels. The public nature of the expulsion and the short deadline also suggested that the Ukrainian side would be forced to take similar steps, which is exactly what happened.
The diplomatic conflict also had an impact on minority issues. Although Ukraine indicated that it wished to continue negotiations on the settlement of Hungarian minority rights regardless of the espionage scandal, Hungary cancelled the meeting in Uzhhorod (Ungvár) scheduled for 12 May at the last minute. The decision was made particularly discourteously: Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishina had already arrived in the city for the talks when she was informed of the Hungarian side’s withdrawal.
All this indicates that Budapest is deliberately linking the spy scandal to the dialogue on minority rights, even though this is detrimental to the interests of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. Related article: Hungary postpones minority rights talks with Ukraine at last minute
Domestic political communication on the part of the government
The Hungarian government then began to shift the focus of domestic politics: in the media and in statements, the emphasis is increasingly being placed on whether the TISZA Party, Péter Magyar or Romulus Ruszin-Szendi could have had ties to the Ukrainian side. Instead of seeking answers to the real question – in whose interests did Hungarian intelligence work? – the focus has shifted to domestic political distraction, and of course, the goal here is to discredit the biggest political opponent, Péter Magyar, who appeared on the scene a year ago and is now being blamed for everything, including the Brussels proceedings and the freezing of EU funds several years ago. Details here: Fidesz accuses rival Tisza Party of being involved with Ukrainian secret services
Has Orbán lost the trust of ethnic Hungarians abroad?
The government and Fidesz are in ruins in terms of national policy, as Orbán and his government have had close ties with Serbian nationalist President Aleksandar Vučić and anti-Hungarian Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for some time, which is inexplicable to Hungarians living there.
On top of that, Orbán expressed his support for the nationalist Romanian presidential candidate George Simion during the Romanian presidential election, which was a slap in the face for Hungarians in Transylvania. At the same time, the spy scandal in Ukraine broke out, which could have embarrassing and serious consequences for Hungarians in Transcarpathia.
Read also: Hungary and Slovakia unite against EU proposal to ban Russian energy imports
A serious problem for NATO
However, the spy scandal raises serious questions not only in relation to Ukraine and the Hungarians in Transcarpathia. It could also have serious consequences within NATO if it is proven that the intelligence services of a member state served Russian interests. This not only weakens Hungary’s position as an ally, but in the long term, it could also undermine the country’s credibility in terms of national security, not to mention the fact that US intelligence, which works closely with Ukraine, also approved the exposure of the Hungarian agents.
What impact will this have on Washington and Trump’s relations with the Orbán government, which has been friendly until now? What’s more, we have not yet received an answer to the original question: why was Hungarian intelligence gathering military data in Ukraine?
One thing is certain: Orbán’s cabinet has not provided a clear, comprehensible or logical explanation for the Ukrainian spy scandal, but has instead attacked in all directions, which will not suffice at this point. This will have a serious impact on domestic politics, NATO membership, and relations with Ukraine. We are very keen to find out what Hungary’s real intelligence objectives are, and we will of course report on any further development in the case.