Hungary bans Transcarpathian Hungarian commander responsible for attack on Druzhba pipeline
Hungary has banned the commander of a Ukrainian military unit from entering the country and the entire Schengen Area after a recent airstrike against the Druzhba (Friendship) oil pipeline. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó emphasised that the Hungarian government regards the incident as an attack on the country’s sovereignty and warned that it cannot go unpunished.
According to a statement, Szijjártó underlined that Ukraine has carried out several attacks in recent months against the Druzhba oil pipeline, which is indispensable for Hungary’s secure energy supply.
“Ukraine is well aware that the Druzhba oil pipeline is vital for Hungary’s energy security. These attacks are not primarily harmful to Russia but much more to Hungary and Slovakia,” Szijjártó said.
He stressed that the latest strike was particularly serious: “The restoration work lasted so long that Hungary almost had to resort to its strategic reserves.”
For this reason, the government decided to impose a ban on the commander of the Ukrainian unit responsible for the latest attacks. “This Ukrainian citizen will not be allowed to enter Hungary or the Schengen Area in the coming years,” the minister announced (the commander is actually a Transcarpathian Hungarian: see below).
Szijjártó concluded by declaring that the government will continue to defend Hungary’s sovereignty and energy security. “Anyone who attacks our sovereignty or energy security must expect consequences. That is exactly what happened this time,” he warned.
The commander was a Hungarian from Transcarpathia
Hungarian daily Népszava reported that the commander in question is Robert Brovdi (also known as Róbert Bródi), a Hungarian from Uzhhorod (Ungvár), who leads Ukraine’s drone fleet. Brovdi posted a video on his Telegram channel showing the strike against a pumping station of the Druzhba pipeline in Unecha, near the Russian-Belarusian border.
In his post, Brovdi wrote in Ukrainian that the attack had been carried out by pilots of Ukraine’s 14th Special Brigade. At the end of the message, he switched to Hungarian, writing: “Ruszkik, haza!” (“Russians, go home!”), making clear that further attacks on Russian refineries and oil infrastructure would follow.
Brovdi, a businessman and former head of the Ukrainian Agricultural Exchange, founded the drone unit known as “Birds of Magyar”. On 8 May 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded him the title of Hero of Ukraine. His military callsign is “Magyar”.
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Weird to hear the hungarians complaining about the other Hungarian citizen that was allegedly killed by Ukrainians about conscription, but then baning this Hungarian to travel t7 Hungary. Ohhhh but no banning to any single Russian, all the opposite, Putin would be welcome in a Red carpet. The Hungarian double standard at the highest level.
The man is a hero whereas Fidesz will welcome any war criminal such as Netanyahu or mass murdering dictator to Hungary. I doubt that the Hungarian government can prevent him from entering other Schengen countries. He can appeal any Hungarian decision to EU authorities. In any case he is busy fighting Russia at the moment. Keep blowing up Russian pipelines Brovdi. Ruszkik, haza!
“Magyar” answered our Foreign Minister in a most appropriate and clearly understandable manner. Something that more of us should be doing. I have no desire to see where “Magyar” told the Foreign Minister to put his sanctions, but I like the idea.
A state cannot prevent its own citizen from entering their territory. Assuming they have a second citizenship (on the basis you also cannot leave someone stateless), a state can theoretically strip someone of citizenship but until then, it cannot prevent them from returning home. It most certainly cannot exclude them from third countries as Hungarian law has no extraterritorial validity.
From Polish Deputy PM Sikorski – “While Russian missiles rain death on Kyiv, Hungary bans a brave ethnic Hungarian who dares to fight for Ukraine’s freedom.
Commander Magyar: if you need some R&R and Hungary won’t let you in, please be our guest in Poland.”