Hungary’s Orban Regime implements Russia’s playbook with Ukraine as target
With Hungarian kleptocrat Orban likely facing electoral defeat next year, desperation and reliance on Russian assistance are making it clear of trajectory on a dangerous path.
Hungary’s attacks on Ukraine have reached a feverish level, exacerbated by Russia’s familiar strategy of fabricating minority oppression to justify aggression.
Russian propaganda in conjunction with the Orban regime media has recently upped the pace of its accusations against Ukraine of suppressing its Hungarian minority in the Transcarpathia region, promoting the story of a buildup of Hungarian tanks near the border and claiming Kyiv is engaging in systemic discrimination.
These fraudulent accusations mirror Russia’s own pretexts for invading Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, and they now appear designed to draw Hungary into the conflict, potentially opening a new front in the war while threatening to destabilize NATO and EU unity.
Transcarpathia, a region bordering Hungary and home to roughly 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, has long been a source of tension between Budapest and Kyiv, particularly over Ukraine’s language laws. Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has repeatedly claimed these laws violate the rights of ethnic Hungarians, a grievance Russia has eagerly exploited.
Russian propaganda has amplified this narrative, falsely suggesting that Ukraine’s actions justify Hungarian intervention to “protect” the minority—a tactic ripped straight from Moscow’s playbook.
In 2014, Russia justified its annexation of Crimea by claiming to defend Russian speakers, a pretext it repeated in 2022 with baseless allegations of genocide in Donbas. International observers debunked these claims, but they were effective in rallying domestic support and sowing global confusion.
Now, Russia seems to be outsourcing this strategy to Hungary, using fabricated accusations as a foundation for potential military escalation.
Recent events have further exposed Hungary’s dubious role in this escalating crisis. Just days ago, on May 9, 2025, Ukraine’s SBU security agency uncovered a Hungarian-run spy network operating in Transcarpathia, as reported by ABC News.
The SBU arrested two former Ukrainian military members recruited by Hungarian intelligence, who were tasked with collecting sensitive information on Ukraine’s air defense systems and military capabilities in the border region.
The operatives were found with cash and covert communication devices, revealing a sophisticated operation aimed at undermining Ukraine’s security rather than addressing any legitimate minority concerns. This marked the first time Ukraine identified a Hungarian spy network working against its interests, prompting the expulsion of two Hungarian diplomats from Kyiv and a reciprocal expulsion of Ukrainian diplomats from Budapest, according to a Reuters report on the same day.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed the accusations as Ukrainian “propaganda,” but the evidence paints a damning picture of Hungary’s intentions.
These developments undermine the credibility of the minority oppression narrative. Ukraine has made efforts to accommodate its Hungarian population, including allowing Hungarian-language education in Transcarpathia, despite ongoing disputes over national language policies.
Hungary’s espionage activities, however, suggest a more sinister agenda, likely encouraged by Russia to weaken Ukraine’s western flank. By amplifying false claims of Hungarian repression, Russia aims to legitimize potential Hungarian aggression, fracture EU cohesion, and prolong the conflict in Ukraine.
The international community must recognize this pattern of disinformation and act decisively to counter Russia’s manipulative tactics before they lead to further escalation in the region.
Meanwhile, Orban’s rhetoric is shifting from peace to war.