Operation of the Russian intelligence against Hungarians in Zakarpattia region

The operation is of an informational and psychological nature, aimed at destabilising the situation in Zakarpattia Oblast and increasing tensions between Kyiv and Budapest. Russians are calling members of the Hungarian minority from phone numbers registered in Ukraine. “During these calls, unidentified individuals, allegedly presenting themselves as members of national-patriotic formations or even as law enforcement officers of our state, demanded that representatives of the community leave the territory of Ukraine, threatened them with physical violence, and so on,” the SBU explained in a statement.

It has been established that the calls originate from the territory of the Russian Federation. The SBU is attempting to block this operation. Ukrainian-Hungarian relations remain tense for a number of reasons, not solely because of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Disputes between the two sides continue to flare over the rights of the Hungarian minority in Zakarpattia. Hungary maintains that Ukrainian laws on language and education infringe upon the rights of the Hungarian minority.

The war in Ukraine and Hungary’s dependence on the Russian Federation remain major obstacles to stabilising Hungarian-Ukrainian relations. Hungary, along with Slovakia, has been attempting to block decisions regarding Ukraine within NATO and the European Union. Recently, Budapest’s attention has focused on interruptions in the supply of Russian oil flowing to Hungary through Ukraine via the Druzhba pipeline. As a result of hostilities—specifically a Russian attack—the pipeline was damaged and is currently under repair. Hungary and Slovakia accuse Ukraine of deliberately halting oil deliveries.