Hungary Identifies Two More Ukrainian Spies Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions

Hungarian security services have identified two individuals, Roland Tseber and István Hollo, as Ukrainian spies involved in espionage activities aimed at influencing Hungary's stance on the Ukraine conflict and obtaining sensitive military and energy information. Tseber, a former Ukrainian-Hungarian dual citizen and local Ukrainian lawmaker, allegedly built ties with opposition politicians and organized meetings with political and military figures, leading to a travel ban imposed on him in 2024. Hollo, a Ukrainian national, is under criminal investigation for seeking classified information relevant to Ukraine's war needs. These revelations follow a series of mutual espionage allegations and diplomatic expulsions between Hungary and Ukraine, intensifying tensions rooted in the disputed Zakarpattia region, where Hungary's ethnic minority faces discrimination. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukrainian intelligence of meddling in Hungary's internal affairs, particularly attempting to influence a national referendum on Ukraine's EU membership, while maintaining a skeptical stance on Western military aid to Ukraine. The espionage dispute underscores deep geopolitical frictions and ethnic tensions between Budapest and Kyiv amid the broader conflict involving Russia.