military

Commander of Hungarian Armed Forces dismissed

Lynx infanrty fighting vehicle Hungary

President Katalin Novák dismissed Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi from his post as Commander of the Hungarian Armed Forces on Thursday, at the proposal of Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.

The minister has proposed Lieutenant General Gábor Böröndi, Hungarian Military Representative to the NATO and EU Military Committees, as his replacement in the position.

During his 30-year military career, Böröndi served in various command positions in the Hungarian Armed Forces and participated in European and non-European NATO operations. He graduated from the Defence College and the National Defense University National War College Wahington, USA.

Lieutenant General Ruszin-Szendi earned great merits in accelerating and modernising military training and took significant steps to increase combat capability of the Hungarian Armed Forces. Lieutenant General Ruszin-Szendi will continue his service to the country in another area.

In addition to carrying on the above, the main task of the new Chief of Staff will be to continue the change of the organisational culture that has already started and to create a modern, effective Hungarian Defence Force displaying serious deterrent force.

Hungarian special forces evacuated Americans from war-torn state! – UPDATED

Hungarian military Sudan

A group of holiday-makers, 14 Hungarians and 48 people of other nationalities (mostly Italians and Americans), have been evacuated from the coast of Sudan amid the civil war there, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Saturday.

Joint operation of the diplomacy and the special forces in Sudan

The foreign ministry contacted the crew of the ship which had taken the group on a diving cruise, as well as the holiday organisers, and the ship sailed to Egypt rather than returning to Sudan, the ministry said in a statement. Officials of the Hungarian embassy in Cairo met the rescued group after the ship reached harbour, the statement said, adding that the Hungarians are expected to fly back to Budapest on Sunday. The ministry also quoted Szijjártó as saying that Hungarian diplomats are in communication with eight other Hungarians in Sudan, and they are making preparations to evacuate them as soon as “conditions are safe”.

Szijjártó added, however, that “[Sudan’s] airports are incapacitated for the moment, rendering attempts to evacuate people impossible.” The foreign ministry is in contact with other countries whose citizens were stranded in Sudan, he said, and “once one of those countries can start evacuation, people of other nationalities, too, can rely on their help.” The foreign ministry is monitoring developments and will do everything to ensure the security of Hungarians at risk, Szijjártó added.

Security of Hungarians is paramount

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in a video published on Facebook that the evacuation had been “managed by the foreign ministry involving the Counter-Terrorism Centre and using capacities of the Hungarian military”. He said his ministry was monitoring developments in Sudan, adding that “the security of Hungarians is paramount, wherever they happen to be in the world.” Similarly to Hungary, several countries have started evacuating their citizens from Sudan, where clashes between the national army and paramilitary organisations started a week ago, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.

UPDATE (04.23. 10.26 GMT)

Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, announced that additional Hungarians established contact with the Hungarian diplomatic staff from Sudan. Thus, the number of Hungarians stuck in the war-torn country increased to 15. Szijjártó said multiple evacuation missions are under organization, and they are in a permanent contact with the UN to rescue all Hungarians as soon as possible.

UPDATE (4.23. 20.05 GMT)

The situation in Sudan continues to be “extremely fragile and dangerous”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said late on Saturday, adding that the number of Hungarians reported to be still in the civil-war-stricken country had increased to 15. Szijjártó said on Facebook that efforts are under way to evacuate them, adding he hoped operations may soon be carried out. “We are in contact with countries in the region and with the United Nations to make sure that all Hungarians are rescued and taken to a safe environment as soon as possible,” he said. Earlier on Saturday, a group of holidaymakers, 14 Hungarians and 48 people of other nationalities, were rescued from Sudan’s coastal area and travelled by boat to Egypt.

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Hungary found a new top military ally in Europe

Hungary new ally in Europe military

Viktor Orbán and Aleksandar Vucic have discussed raising military industrial cooperation between Hungary and Serbia to a new level, the prime minister’s press chief said on Saturday.

The prime minister had talks with the Serbian president in Belgrade on Saturday, Bertalan Havasi said, noting that Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the defence minister, and László Palkovics, the chief executive of N7 Nemzeti Védelmi Ipari Innovation Holding, were among officials attending the talks.

Besides discussing ways to deepen cooperation on military technology and development, Orban and Vucic reviewed the European security situation and developments around the war in Ukraine, as well as the outlook for the European integration of the Western Balkans. The leaders were scheduled to visit Batajnica air base to view “Granit 2023”, a military capability demonstration organised as part of Serbian Armed Forces Day.

Here is a video of today’s joint Hungarian-Serbian military drill:

And some photos about Orbán’s visit:

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PHOTOS: EU Heads of Missions visited Pápa military airport

Pápa military airport Sweden

“Today was an interesting and busy day for the EU Heads of Missions in Hungary, in the framework of Sweden’s EU Presidency”, the Embassy of Sweden in Budapest wrote on their Facebook page about their visit. Here is their unchanged post.

“In the morning, by invitation of Ambassador Dag Hartelius, they visited Pápa, which is home to the Strategic Airlift Capability – the first multinational initiative in the world that aims at maximizing military strategic airlift capability through the sharing of resources and pooling of capacity.

It is a conglomerate of twelve partnering nations, including Hungary, Sweden and eight other EU member states. It is an important tool for the security of Europe. Thanks for the Heavy Airlift Wing and Swedish Commander Col. Peder Söderström for having the EU Ambassadors! The visit to Pápa was followed by a visit to Veszprém in the afternoon.

Here are some photos:

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Dozens of officers sacked from Hungary’s military intelligence!

Military intelligence Hungary

The Hungarian defence minister said this February that they would like to create an army with more young officers. Therefore, they opened a path for older crew to retire. After that, more than 100 generals and top officers were dismissed. It seems the wave reached even the Hungarian military intelligence.

Based on the information acquired by the HVG, at least 53 service people will be fired from military intelligence. The official name of the body is Military National Security Service (KNBSZ). The rate is significant because the number of personnel working for the KNBSZ barely reaches 1,000. Hvg.hu confirmed the information from multiple independent sources.

The reason is the same as in the case of military service people. The government would like to recruit younger officers and soldiers. Therefore, they opened a path to retirement for soldiers who are past their 45th birthdays and have at least 25 years of service. As a result, at least 150 officers were fired from the Hungarian military. However, the total number of the Hungarian Army is 36 thousand, while the KNBSZ is much smaller, with only around 1,000 members. The decision means the government dismisses more than 5 percent of the strength.

The timing is worse than ever

The decision is strange since Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Hungary’s defence minister, was very satisfied with the work of the KNBSZ one year ago. He said last May that the service is the most professional and well-trained, and he expressed his support towards its head, lieutenant general János Béres.

However, based on hvg.hu’s sources, the decision does not affect top officers. HVG writes that the timing is questionable since there is an ongoing war in Ukraine which means Hungary should strengthen all branches of its army instead of sending away soldiers.

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VIDEOS: Hungary very proud on its army

Hungary army

The Hungarian army has served the country’s peace and security for 175 years, the defence minister said on Facebook on Friday.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said “whatever history could inflict, our soldiers heroically stood their ground, giving their blood and life for the homeland when needed”. “The future will be built on that tradition; that tradition will give the strength and background to build a modern, digital army with the courage and patriotism of today’s youth,” the minister said. The Hungarian military was formed by Hungary’s first independent government on April 7, 1848, MTI wrote.

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Staggering: Hungary leads NATO in this segment

NATO EU Viktor Orbán military kickout

A recently published report by the secretary general of NATO revealed that Hungary, one of the smallest members, leads NATO concerning the amount of money it spends on military technology.

According to infostart.hu, Hungary spent almost HUF 1,000 billion (EUR 2.67 billion) on its armed forces. The aim is to spend at least 2 percent of the GDP on the military. That figure was 1.44 percent in 2022. Flórián Hecker, a journalist of Világgazdaság, told InfóRádió that the “fallback” is because of the Hungarian GDP growth. The government expected 1.7-1.8 percent in 2022, but it was not realised because of the much higher GDP.

The GDP increase reached 4.6 percent in Hungary last year, so the country is middle-ranked concerning military spending compared to the gross domestic product. However, if they look at how much Hungary spent on military techniques, e.g. ammunition and weapons, that rate is 48 percent. The figure is the highest in NATO. Greece is the second with 45 percent.

Jens Stoltenberg referred to a survey in the 200-page-long report stating that only 10 percent of the Hungarians are against military spending. They concluded that the majority of the Hungarians are pro-NATO. More than 70 percent would say yes to a referendum to join NATO now, the 10th highest in the alliance.

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PHOTOS: A lot of Hungarian soldiers returned from Kosovo

Hungarian soldiers Kosovo

Ensuring peace in the Western Balkans is one of the most important security policy interests for Hungary and a trying task, a state secretary of the defence ministry said at a Hungarian army base in Kecskémet, in central Hungary, welcoming a Hungarian unit on return from a KFOR mission on Sunday.

“Considering Hungary’s security policy interests, Hungarian troops have been participating in operations in the Balkans since 1995,” Tamás Vargha said, adding that Hungary had contributed staff officers and army contingents to NATO’s KFOR mission since 1999. He noted that the more than 100 troops who performed their task on a high level in the KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion have further strengthened the respect for the Hungarian armed forces.

Addressing the ceremony, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, Commander of the Hungarian Armed Forces, said that “members of the reserve battalion have again proved to Hungary’s allies that Hungarian troops can be counted on”. Troops of the battalion have performed 250 tasks since last December when they were assigned to serve to strengthen NATO forces as tension ran high between Kosovo Serbs and local Albanians in northern Kosovo, he said.

Her Excellency Ambassador Gjeneza Budima
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Hungary will introduce obligatory conscription again? The President answered

Hungarian President Katalin Novák

President Katalin Novák, the supreme commander of the Hungarian Armed Forces, talked with students about the possible introduction of conscription again in Hungary. The Hungarian Parliament abolished conscription in 2004.

President Katalin Novák attended the inauguration of a tourist centre in Barcs, in south-western Hungary, and met with some students in the local school of Csurgó. Answering a question, she admitted the difficulties concerning the Visegrád Four cooperation. She added that some leaders say irresponsible things about the ongoing war in Ukraine, even though words are important. She highlighted that NATO should never go to war against Russia. Hungary condemns Russia’s aggression and supports Ukraine, the President said.

Novák said that she did not see a chance for reintroducing conscription even though there are debates in many countries concerning the issue, index.hu wrote.

President: ‘Wise decisions’ in Brussels to benefit local communities

President Katalin Novák said in Barcs “if wise decisions are made in Brussels, they will make Europe and its local communities richer”. The president referred to the new facility, built at a cost of HUF 400 million (EUR 1 billion), as an example of the benefits of Hungary’s European Union membership “when decision-makers do what they are supposed to do”.

On another subject, Novák noted that nearby Croatia was now a member of the Schengen zone and the River Dráva “no longer separates Hungary and Croatia but creates a link”. Concerning the war in Ukraine, the president said Hungary was making “every effort in the interest of a ceasefire and peace talks”. After the inauguration ceremony, the president made a bicycle tour in the area and visited a local Roma community.

Hungary won’t send ammunition to Ukraine

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky has underlined Hungary’s opposition to sending weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.

After a meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers in Brussels, he said arms deliveries would only serve to broaden and exacerbate the war.

Proposals in Brussels include handing over existing stocks of ammunition to Ukraine, and Hungary will not participate in this initiative, the minister emphasised.

He said Europe’s armed forces were developing apace, and investments in the defence industry have also grown, and Hungary was well-positioned to take advantage of the situation. Many of its investments which are either planned and under way could play a role in joint EU projects, he said.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky noted that ministers at the meeting evaluated Strategic Compass, the guidelines adopted in 2022 for the EU’s security and defence policy. The minister said Hungary was in favour of the EU assuming a global role in security, especially in regions where the security situation affected Europe directly. It was highly important, he added, to strengthen the security of the Western Balkans and the Sahel region in Africa with a view to stopping new waves of illegal migration.

Nuclear bomber Hungary
Read alsoLeaked: Nuclear bomber made weird manoeuvres in Hungarian airspace!

Leaked: Nuclear bomber made weird manoeuvres in Hungarian airspace!

Nuclear bomber Hungary

On 9 March late afternoon, an American B–52H Stratofortress capable of carrying nuclear weapons entered Hungary’s airspace. However, the Hungarian Defence Forces stated why the plane was there and what it did only yesterday.

According to index.hu, the American Stratofortress flew under the call sign NOBLE41 and took off in Romania. The aircraft entered Hungarian airspace at 3.45 PM. It arrived in Kaposvár 15 minutes later, but it did not land. Instead, the B-52H spent some time in the skies of the Hungarian city of Somogy county. The plane continued its journey to Spain at 5.45 PM. Based on the information and data of an outlet concerned with aviation news, the aircraft carried out that manoeuvre only in the airspace of Hungary.

Of course, the Hungarian Defence Forces were aware of the arrival of the American bomber. But they did not tell why the aircraft spent time in Hungary. Based on their recent statement, the plane took part in some special Hungarian units’ training.

B-52 Stratofortress bombers working with Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 from Graf Ignatievo Air Base:

Members of the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) of the Kiss József 86th Helicopter Brigade carried out some “dry” inductions in the Hungarian airspace for two hours with a B–52H Stratofortress strategic bomber of the US Air Force. In this context, dry means they did not use weapons. The Hungarian Defence Forces’ statement highlighted that the opportunity was unique for the Hungarian soldiers. Thanks to that, they could practice NATO procedures with the iconic plane during daylight and after sunset.

The B–52H Stratofortress is a long-range heavy bomber flying with subsonic speed and can reach a 15 km flying height. It can carry nuclear weapons. Its range is 14,162 km without aerial fuel refill.

On 23 February, F/A–18E/F Super Hornet type fighters practiced fuel refill in the air in Hungary over Lake Balaton. The refill was carried out by a modified Airbus 330. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, NATO has sent strategic intelligence aircraft to Eastern Europe many times. These are capable of exploring airspace from hundreds of kilometres. As a result, they can notice any possible dangers in time.

Here is a video:

Read alsoWhat can you do in case of nuclear attack in Hungary?

Hungarian minister’s revelation: we do train Ukrainian troopers!

Hungary military Ukraine soldiers

We wrote earlier that yesterday Jaroslav Nad, Slovakia’s defence minister, claimed that Hungary helped train Ukrainian soldiers. Here is what the Hungarian defence ministry said regarding the information.

Hungary helps Ukraine’s military and soldiers

According to 24.hu, Hungary’s defence ministry revealed the country helped train military health professionals. They added that Hungary’s standpoint did not change on the issue. “We stand on the side of peace and do not support any steps leading to the escalation of the war”, the ministry underlined. As a result, Hungary will not send weapons or soldiers to Ukraine.

They added that they provide humanitarian support for Ukraine, the greatest in Hungary’s history. Therefore, they help in the medical treatment of Ukrainian casualties. Furthermore, the Hungarian military contributes to the Ukrainian military health professionals’ training.

Government: Hungary is pro-peace and will stay that way

Hungary is pro-peace and intends to stay that way, Máté Kocsis, the leader of Fidesz’s parliamentary group, told MPs on Tuesday in connection with a bill declaring Hungary’s position a year after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The bill calls for a ceasefire and peace negotiations as soon as possible and states that Hungary will continue to refrain from sending weapons or soldiers to Ukraine. Kocsis explained the longer the delay, the greater the losses would be, noting that the bill expresses Hungary’s commitment to peace and underlines its condemnation of Russian military aggression while recognising Ukraine’s right to self-defence. He said economic and energy sanctions adopted in Brussels had not succeeded in steering Russia towards peace, so Hungary opposes broadening EU sanctions.

Further, the bill calls on the government to continue helping refugees from Ukraine. It also notes that the war had a grave impact on the Transcarpathian Hungarian community. Kocsis advised Hungarian public figures to refrain from making any statements that could lead to Hungary drifting into war. Some high-profile individuals, he added, had made it clear that they would not support the Fidesz-sponsored pro-peace declaration.

“We’ve become used to not being able to count on everyone in times of turmoil,” he said, listing the migration crisis, the pandemic, and the war. “It was also the case with sanctions, and it’s likely to be the case now.” “They are pro-war, but we are pro-peace,” he said. It would be irresponsible to declare that only Russia or Ukraine can win the war, Kocsis said, adding that the onus was on war supporters to convince peace supporters about the wisdom of arms deliveries.

French-Hungarian JV as next step in defence industry upgrade

Hungarian Defence Forces

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Hungary’s defence minister, on Thursday welcomed the establishment of the French-Hungarian joint venture Satys PSP Hungary as the next step in the development of Hungary’s defence industry.

Satys PSP is the surface engineering partner of Airbus Helicopters Hungary and has set up a unit next to the Airbus helicopter parts plant in Gyula, in south-eastern Hungary.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that in addition to procuring military equipment, the government also wanted to bring production capacities to Hungary.

László Palkovics, CEO of Hungary’s state-owned N7 National Defence Industry Innovation Holding, the Hungarian partner in the JV, said one of the pillars of Hungary’s military upgrade strategy was the establishment of technological partnerships with foreign companies. He highlighted the establishment of the Airbus plant as a strong example of this, noting that it had quickly led to one of Airbus’s suppliers setting up a base in the country as well.

France’s Satys Group has been Airbus’s surface engineering partner for 30 years. It has invested 17 million euros in setting up its base in Gyula.

szijjártó ukraine hungary
Read alsoWhy is the Hungarian nationality being suppressed in Ukraine?

Hungarian military recruitment campaign aimed at reaching out to young people

Hungarian Defence Forces

The Hungarian military’s recently launched recruitment campaign is aimed at “not only to attract those already interested in a military career but to reach out to young people, offering an alliance”, the defence minister told public radio on Thursday.

The campaign also offers “dialogue with society about the importance of protecting the homeland and the development of the armed forces in recent years”, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.

The military needs “phisically fit youth, who speak languages, and are committed to the cause of defence”, the minister said, adding that people from all walks of life “could find a place” in the army.

Concerning efforts to “rejuvenate” the military, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said they were aimed at “providing an opportunity for officers with experience in foreign missions and at NATO schools, who have served for many years and are in an excellent physical state”. He insisted that each military within NATO “faces the problem of overstaffing in higher positions”. “The government has made it possible for staff over 45, with at least 25 years in service, to leave for the civil world in a decent way and with a military allowance, giving way to young people”.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó Ukraine Transcarpathia
Read also Hungarian government: “Hungary stands by Ukraine… but”

Leaked: Hungarian military plane had a mysterious accident in the USA! – PHOTOS

Hungarian defence forces plane accident USA

One of the Falcons of Hungary’s military collided with an airport tanker in the United States, suffering damages, so it needed to remain there for weeks. The story was not made public until two days ago when an opposition-close Hungarian media outlet leaked it. Because of the incident, another Hungarian military jet flew to the USA.

Nobody knew why the plane flew to the USA

According to 24.hu, the collision happened on 1 February with a Hungarian military aircraft type Dassault Falcon 7x. The call sign of the jet was 606 and it bumped into an airport tanker at the Airport of Columbus, in Ohio. Hungary’s ministry of defence confirmed the information. They added that the jet was preparing to take off when the collision took place.

According to the ministry, the plane suffered minor damages but shared no additional information about the circumstances or the consequences.

The plane departed from Kecskemét on 1 February. Shortly after its landing, it started to move again, but it was set aside suddenly, based on the data of the flight tracker sites. The plane could only return to Hungary on 10 February, last Friday.

Furthermore, the ministry sent another Falcon, having the call sign 607, to the damaged jet. That departed on 4 February, arrived in Columbus and flew home on 7 February after halting a short pause close to New York. This was the jet that took FM Péter Szijjártó to the government meeting in Sopron and then to Taskent, Uzbekistan’s capital.

Government or military jets?

24.hu said that they asked the foreign ministry why the plane went to Columbus but received no reply. But index.hu was able to track down the VIP passenger of the jet, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, the chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces General Staff. The defence ministry’s official website shared an English language report of the visit on 10 February on, but the author did not mention the accident.

The ministry bought the two business-category jets in 2018. Later they purchased two Airbus 319 planes having 140 seats. The four aircrafts satisfy the travel needs of PM Viktor Orbán and his government. For example, in 2022, FM Szijjártó used the Falcons 110 times. Their market price was around HUF 13 billion back in 2018, but we never learned the exact price the government spent on them because that was regarded as a business secret.

Here are some photos of the Falcon:

And here you may check out some additional images of the Airbus-319 aircrafts the government also uses:

Hungary military
Read alsoWhat are they up to? Hungary military launches nationwide recruitment campaign

Here is how many Hungarians gave their lives for Ukraine’s independence

Hungarians Ukraine war trench

Attila Demkó, a well-known Hungarian author, security policy expert and former diplomat, shared the number of Hungarians who died in the hell of the Eastern Front in Ukraine, fighting against Russian aggression.

More than a dozen Hungarians died

According to his Facebook post, since the start of the 24 February Russian invasion, a dozen Hungarians soldiers have died in Ukraine’s defence. If we take 2014, the start of the deadly fight in Eastern Ukraine, as a start, that number rises to approximately 20. Interestingly, the number of Hungarian citizens is higher because many Ukrainians gained Hungarian (EU) citizenship utilising the loopholes of the relevant Hungarian rules and with the help of corrupted Hungarian officials.

He also said that most Transcarpathians dead in the East are Ukrainians because, at the beginning, they volunteered, while the national minorities remained at home.

He wrote in the post that each side would lose in this war.

Demkó is an author under the pen name David Authere. His bestseller novel Máglyatűz (‘Bonfire’, in English: The Fury of the Tsar) deals with a possible Russian penetration and hybrid warfare using national minorities in Central and Eastern Europe.

More than 10,000 Ukraine refugees enter Hungary on Friday

Fully 5,375 refugees entered Hungary at the Ukraine-Hungary border on Friday, while 5,329 came to the country via Romania, according to the national police headquarters (ORFK). Police issued temporary residence permits valid for 30 days to 96 people, ORFK said on Saturday. Fully 120 people, 23 children among them, arrived by train in Budapest.

What are they up to? Hungary military launches nationwide recruitment campaign

Hungary military

Hungary’s military is launching a nationwide recruitment campaign with a view to informing as many people as possible about the forms of service and career opportunities offered by the Hungarian Armed Forces, the defence ministry said on Friday.

The campaign will target young people who are prepared and willing to act in the interest of defending their homeland, family and loved ones, the ministry said in a statement.

The Armed Forces offers an attractive career to those who, in addition to their individual progress, value community, camaraderie and a youthful outlook and are interested in high-tech military equipment, it added.

In addition to recruitment offices, the campaign will also have an online component and will run on various media platforms, the statement said. It will also involve recruitment events across the country.

The campaign’s opening event will be held at Budapest’s Bálna cultural centre on Monday and will welcome anyone looking to join the military either as a contract soldier or a reservist, the ministry said.

“The war, migration and the security challenges facing Europe have demonstrated that we are living in the age of dangers and that peace and security have become more valuable,” the ministry said. Strengthening, upgrading and bringing more young people into the military in the interest of boosting the country’s security is a priority task, it added.

hungary army
Read alsoNATO will kick out Hungary for sacking ‘NATO friend officers’ from the Hungarian military?

Hungarian government continues sacking hundreds of high-ranking military officers

Hungary military sacking officers

In January, the government accepted a decree allowing to send even high-ranking military officers into retirement. Then media outlets reported about more than a hundred generals, lieutenant generals, major generals, etc., the defence minister has sacked. Based on the sources of the Válasz Online, the government will not stop. They are prepared to send away even more military officers, but the media outlet believes that is not an anti-NATO step.

More than 110 officers sent into retirement

Válasz Online, a Hungarian independent news outlet using only the donations of its readers, shared many details about the first wave of ‘grand sacking’ in the Hungarian Defence Forces. They also wrote some names in their recent article concerned with ‘forced retirement’. One of them, for example, is the deputy commander of the KFOR (Kosovo Force, the NATO’s biggest mission), brigadier general János Szpisják.

The online media outlet argues that the preparations for the first wave were carried out in complete secrecy. Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky held his reular ‘state of military’ speech on 17 January in Budapest’s illustrious Bálna event centre, near the Danube. There he talked about the importance of renewing the military staff to the press. Afterwards, he invited all the leading generals and military officers to a no-press follow-up on the building’s first floor and read out the names who will be dismissed.

Since the preparations were carried out in utter secrecy, nobody knew what to expect, and all were surprised to hear that the minister ‘beheaded’ the Hungarian Defence Forces. The number of concerned was above 110, including even the two deputy commanders of the Hungarian Defence Forces, lieutenant general Zsolt Sándor and major general Attila János Simon. Furthermore, Mr Szalay-Bobrovniczky dismissed most of the ministry’s department leaders.

The ‘purge’ will continue – here is how

However, the ‘purge’, or the rejuvenation, as minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky calls it, will not stop. The unit commanders are next who will rank their subordinates concerning the following points:

  • professionalism
  • international experience
  • language knowledge
  • physical state
  • performance evaluation

The maximum number of points is 9. People getting at least six can remain in the military.

Válasz Online does not understand why the rejuvenation had to be carried out so quickly. They argue that even if somebody learns to use the latest technologies, they need experienced officers to integrate that knowledge and technology into a system. Moreover, there is a war in Hungary’s neighbourhood.

Uncertainty will harm the military

The media outlet asks how one can choose the career of becoming an military officer if they cannot be sure whether they can retire with dignity or will be sacked at the age of 45 and after their 25th year of service.

Ágnes Vadai, an MP of the opposition DK and a former secretary of defence, talked about firing NATO supporters from the military. However, the sources of Válasz Online said the opposite was true. The new generation of officers knows only the NATO standards, so they are ‘NATO-compatible.’ Moreover, the Alliance did not say a word about the Hungarian government’s relevant decision.

HIMARS missile army
Read alsoHungary considers acquiring HIMARS missile systems