Hungary expels 10 Russian diplomats

Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban has made an unprecedented decision to expel 10 employees of the Russian Embassy.

Source: Orban on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Orban said that 10 members of the Russian diplomatic mission "had engaged in activities in Hungary that are unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention".

A representative of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry informed the Russian ambassador in Budapest that the individuals must leave the country.

Meanwhile, Hungary's foreign minister stressed that the decision does not mean a break in diplomatic relations with Russia.

Quote: "This decision protects Hungary's security and sovereignty. It does not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia. Hungary intends to continue the necessary dialogue, based on mutual respect and adherence to the rules."

Details: The decision is unprecedented in terms of the number of diplomats Hungary is expelling. Viktor Orbán's previous government took a similar step in 2018, when Hungary expelled just one Russian diplomatic mission employee in solidarity with the UK following the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

Background:

• In 2022, an investigation by Hungarian outlet Direkt36 and RTL channel found that while most EU countries had decided to expel Russian diplomats following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, their number in Hungary had increased by almost a third.
• Journalists working with European security services previously established that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin had tasked a group of political strategists and Russian military intelligence with interfering in Hungary's parliamentary elections in April to ensure Viktor Orbán's victory. Under the plan, Russia intended to station experts in social media manipulation at the Russian Embassy in Budapest.
• In May, Hungary quietly expelled a Russian intelligence officer who had operated under diplomatic cover and infiltrated right-wing and foreign policy think tanks close to Viktor Orbán's government.

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