Russia has sharply condemned Hungary’s decision to expel 10 employees of the Russian Embassy in Budapest, describing the move as an unprecedented and unjustified escalation and warning that it would trigger a response.

Moscow accuses Hungary of anti-Russian rhetoric

The criticism came after Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced on Tuesday that Hungary had ordered 10 members of the Russian diplomatic mission to leave the country because, according to the Hungarian authorities, they had engaged in activities incompatible with diplomatic status under the Vienna Convention.

Russian Ambassador to Hungary Evgeny Stanislavov said in a statement published by the embassy in Budapest that the expulsions showed the new Hungarian government had fallen “captive to ideologically motivated, anti-Russian rhetoric”. He also dismissed Budapest’s assurances that it wanted to preserve dialogue and continue pragmatic cooperation with Moscow.

According to the ambassador, statements by the Hungarian side about maintaining channels of communication with the Kremlin and continuing practical cooperation were now “worth nothing” in light of the decision. Moscow views the move as an “extremely unfriendly step” and an “unprecedented and unjustified escalation”, Stanislavov said, adding that it would receive an appropriate response.

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Hungary insists diplomatic relations will continue

Anita Orbán stressed when announcing the expulsions that the measure does not mean Hungary is breaking off diplomatic relations with Moscow. Budapest still intends to maintain the necessary dialogue with them, she said, based on mutual respect and compliance with international rules. The Hungarian government has said the decision was taken to protect the country’s security and sovereignty, while Russian MP’s claim it was only to pledge loyalty to Brussels.

András Rácz, deputy director-general of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, said that, according to the conventions of diplomatic language, the foreign minister’s statement strongly suggested that the 10 expelled Russian representatives had been working under diplomatic cover while allegedly carrying out intelligence activities.

The Kremlin has already signalled that retaliatory measures could follow. A spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry reportedly promised a “tough and painful” response. Aleksey Chepa, deputy chairman of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, told Russian state news agency TASS that Moscow would first respond in kind. He also warned that Hungary’s decision could lead to a reduction in joint economic projects with Moscow.

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Opposition parties attack the government’s decision

Hungary’s opposition parties Fidesz and KDNP have also criticised the expulsions, although for different reasons. Fidesz described the move as “nothing more than a distraction”, arguing that the government should instead address issues including the budget deficit, public debt and fuel prices.

The KDNP warned that the decision and the Russian response it may provoke could have “unforeseeable consequences”. The party argued that Russia remained difficult to replace as a source of natural gas and crude oil imports, warning that a hasty diplomatic step could ultimately affect Hungarian households through higher energy bills.

While stressing that every government has a duty to protect national security and sovereignty, the KDNP said the move marked the abandonment of Hungary’s previous “peace policy” and the beginning of a dismantling of the country’s pragmatic relationships outside Europe.

The diplomatic dispute now appears set to deepen, with Moscow promising retaliation while Budapest maintains that it wants to keep communication channels open despite the unprecedented expulsion of 10 Russian embassy employees.

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