Ukraine's Security Service identifies Hungarian intelligence officer who ran spy network in Ukraine's Zakarpattia – video
Ukraine's Security Service (SSU) has announced that it has identified a Hungarian military intelligence officer who ran a spy network uncovered by the service in Zakarpattia in spring 2025.
Source: SSU press service
Details: The security service notes that two members of the spy cell were detained at the time. They had been collecting data on the region's military defences, local socio-political sentiments, and the potential reaction of the population in the event of Hungarian troops being deployed there.
According to the case materials, the foreign agent network was run by a career Hungarian military intelligence officer – Zoltan Andre.
It has been established that Andre personally conducted agent meetings in Hungary with one of his informants from Zakarpattia, who had been conducting espionage in the western region of Ukraine and was subsequently detained by SSU counterintelligence.
The investigation found that from 2016 to 2020, he was stationed in Georgia, where he conducted intelligence activities under cover as a representative of Hungary's diplomatic mission.
Since 2021, after returning from the South Caucasus, Andre began intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine.
That same year, he personally recruited a former military serviceman from the Berehove district and placed the operative on standby. In September 2024, Andre activated the sleeper agent and tasked them with conducting espionage in Zakarpattia, the SSU says.
It has been documented that the traitor gathered intelligence on the deployment locations of Ukraine's defence forces, including attempts to identify the combat positions of Ukrainian air defence systems protecting the skies of Ukraine's western region.
Also on Andre's instructions, the spy was to find candidates for recruitment into the Hungarian military intelligence's spy network. Former and active-duty military personnel and Ukrainian law enforcement officers were of particular interest to the foreign intelligence officer.
In addition, according to available information, Andre exploited the capabilities of Hungarian diplomatic institutions in Zakarpattia – to which local residents submitted personal data application forms for Hungarian citizenship – for recruitment purposes.
To attract cooperation, the foreign intelligence officer offered money and various benefits from Hungary.
It has been established that Andre conducted most of his recruitment conversations and agent meetings in his own vehicle. He used an alias for cover.
The next individual recruited by Andre was a former professional soldier from one of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's combat brigades. She was shortly thereafter detained by the SSU together with another agent.
Additionally, the service identified a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine whom the Hungarian military intelligence officer attempted to draw into cooperation. Instead of financial remuneration, this individual was offered regular supplies of drugs for "personal use".
Quote: "SSU counterintelligence is currently continuing comprehensive measures to identify all members of the Hungarian spy network who acted against Ukraine's interests. Every one of the perpetrators will be found and held accountable for crimes against our state.
Ukraine's Security Service calls on citizens to remain vigilant. If you are approached with suspicious proposals, notice suspicious objects or individuals, or receive information about the activities of Russian secret services or the internet pages and social media accounts they use for recruitment, please inform the SSU."
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