Hungary has expelled 10 Russian diplomats / Budapest cites activities incompatible with diplomatic status

Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on Tuesday, accusing them of carrying out activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, Foreign Minister Anita Orban announced. The decision was justified by the need to protect Hungary’s security and sovereignty, but Budapest authorities provided no details about the alleged activities and did not disclose the identities or positions of the diplomats concerned.

The foreign minister said the measure does not represent a severing of diplomatic relations with Moscow, and that Hungary intends to maintain dialogue with Russia on the basis of mutual respect and diplomatic norms.

The expulsions mark a change in relations between the two states following the installation, in May, of the government led by Prime Minister Peter Magyar. At the time, Budapest also expelled a Russian diplomat following allegations that intelligence-gathering operations had been conducted under diplomatic cover.

During the same period, Russian Ambassador Evgheni Stanislavov was summoned following drone attacks on the Transcarpathia region in western Ukraine, home to a significant ethnic Hungarian community. Hungary subsequently called on Russia to support an immediate ceasefire and a peaceful, lasting resolution to the war in Ukraine.