Ukraine Uncovers Hungarian Spy Network Plotting Against Its Military

For the first time since Ukraine’s independence, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has publicly revealed the presence of a foreign spy network orchestrated by Hungarian military intelligence inside its borders.

The announcement, made on May 9, detailed a sophisticated operation aimed at undermining Ukraine’s national security, specifically in the western Zakarpattia region.

According to the SBU’s statement, the network was tasked with gathering sensitive information on Ukrainian military and security infrastructure, assessing the political and social sentiments of the local population, and evaluating potential responses to hypothetical Hungarian troop movements into the region.

Two Operatives Detained; Handler Identified

The SBU reported the detention of two agents linked to the network.

Both had been controlled by a known officer of Hungary’s military intelligence service, whose identity has been established by Ukrainian authorities but not publicly disclosed.

One of the detained operatives, a 40-year-old former Ukrainian serviceman from Berehove district, had been quietly recruited as far back as 2021.

He remained inactive—on “standby mode”—until September 2024, when his Hungarian handler activated him to start intelligence gathering.

His assignments included:

• Gauging potential civilian and military reactions in Zakarpattia to any future Hungarian peacekeeping intervention.
• Investigating local black market arms trading.
• Monitoring migration trends among the ethnic Hungarian community.
• Reporting on the deployment and readiness of Ukrainian military units and law enforcement.
• Conducting reconnaissance on Ukrainian defense positions, including mapping coordinates of S-300 missile systems.

The agent crossed into Hungary under the pretext of accompanying his ailing father for treatment, using this cover to meet with his handler and receive cash for operational expenses and recruitment efforts.

The SBU also confirmed he had attempted to build a local network of informants.

In a subsequent meeting in March 2025, the agent was equipped with a mobile phone fitted with covert communication software and instructed to gather more detailed intelligence.

His new orders included tracking official vehicles used by Ukrainian defense forces and reporting on frontline military losses.

A second suspect in the case is a former member of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces who left the military earlier this year.

Ukrainian investigators allege she was recruited to report on aircraft activity and the defensive capabilities of her former unit stationed in Zakarpattia.