Strange details surface about Russia’s release of 11 ‘Hungarian’ PoWs

In 2023, Hungary received 11 PoWs, supposedly Hungarian, in a transfer that has since raised eyebrows due to curious details. Recent revelations cast doubt on the ethnic identity of the detainees, as it transpires that only one among the eleven was genuinely of Hungarian descent. What then becomes of the remaining individuals?

PoWs set free

As we reported last June, 11 Hungarian PoWs from the western Transcarpathia region had been transferred to Hungary at the government’s request in collaboration with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. Back then, Zsolt Semjén, Hungary’s deputy prime minister for church policy and church diplomacy, described it as “a gesture by the Russian Orthodox Church towards Hungary”.

Source: depositphotos.com

Upon their arrival in Hungary, the government declared the prisoners of war to be free. However, as highlighted by 444, the Ukrainian authorities were not informed about this transfer, which caused diplomatic tension. Under international law, the nation of origin of released PoWs must be duly notified if they are being relocated to a third country.

Only one Hungarian amongst them

Deutsche Welle conducted interviews with two of the released prisoners, who revealed a startling fact: only one of the eleven detainees was of Hungarian nationality. The remaining ten had fabricated their ethnicities, claiming Hungarian descent. While these two men came from Transcarpathia, they affirmed their Ukrainian heritage. They asserted that they had been instructed by the Russian Secret Service to falsify their nationalities to ensure their release.

Furthermore, they disclosed that they were prohibited from returning to Ukraine, as it would endanger the chances of their fellow soldiers’ future release. However, this contradicts the Hungarian government’s promise that they would enjoy unrestricted freedom upon reaching Hungary.

Their escape

According to the two men, deception was their only escape from the camp. One of them recounted:

I was told to say I was Hungarian. If I didn’t, I’d be sent back. So, I complied.

Source: depositphotos.com

Seeking clarification

While the circumstances surrounding this episode remain unclear, both 444 and DW have sent inquiries to Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén for elucidation. 444 seeks clarification on how the Hungarian government ascertained the Hungarian nationality of the 11 PoWs handed over and whether the assertion that 10 of them were in fact Ukrainian holds any truth. However, responses to these queries are yet to be forthcoming.

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