ISTANBUL

Hungary on Friday expelled two Ukrainian diplomats over espionage allegations, following Ukraine's announcement that it had dismantled a Hungarian spy network operating on its territory.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a video message posted on Facebook: "Today we have expelled two spies … working under diplomatic cover at Ukraine’s embassy in Budapest."

The move came after Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said it had detained two Ukrainian military veterans suspected of gathering sensitive information for Hungarian intelligence.

According to the SBU, the alleged spy ring was overseen by an officer of Hungarian military intelligence and aimed at identifying vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s defense lines in the west of the country.

One of the suspects was allegedly recruited in 2021 and later activated to collect information and expand the network. The suspect reportedly received cash payments during a meeting in Hungary, The Guardian reported.

The two detainees face charges of high treason, which could result in life imprisonment.

Szijjarto rejected the Ukrainian accusations as "propaganda," saying no official evidence had been provided.

"If we receive any details or official information, then we will be able to deal with this. Until then, I must classify this as propaganda that must be handled with caution," he said at a press conference in Budapest.

Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government has avoided sending military aid to Ukraine.