Hungary Claims Downed Spy Drone Part of ‘Months-Long Intelligence War’ With Ukraine

Hungary claims its air defenses shot down a drone, allegedly sent from Ukrainian territory, near the border.

“A Hungarian radar detected and then shot down a drone by the Hungarian Armed Forces, which could be a new chapter in the secret service war between Hungary and Ukraine,” the Magyar Hírlap media outlet reported on May 12.

The drone was reportedly intercepted near Tokaj, in the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county along the Tisza River. Though the incident allegedly occurred last week, Hungarian media only recently disclosed the details.

“According to sources familiar with intelligence matters, this incident is part of a months-long intelligence war between Ukraine and Hungary,” the report reads.

Hungarian officials claim Ukrainian services may have used the drone to “test the readiness of the Hungarian Armed Forces,” and even accused Ukraine of “planning sabotage operations” with trained personnel in the Transcarpathia region.

In a follow-up article on May 14, Magyar Hírlap added: “Regardless of whether we really shot down a Ukrainian drone over Tokaj, one thing can be said: on Ukrainian territory, there is an order of magnitude more experience in using drones than here.”

The report contrasted Ukraine’s battlefield-hardened military with Hungary’s training-based military experience: “Ukrainian military personnel have to fight for their lives every day,” while Hungarian soldiers encounter such tech “at pre-planned shooting ranges” or “in comfortable training classrooms.”

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“If the drone really arrived, what did the Ukrainian military want in the Tokaj area?” the article reads. “Certainly not to take risks, but rather to test the readiness and capabilities of the armed forces.”

The claim comes just days after Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said it had dismantled a Hungarian spy ring in Zakarpattia, revealing the first case of a NATO state being accused of espionage against Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, the SBU, two Ukrainians were recruited by Hungarian military intelligence to assess support for a possible Hungarian “peacekeeping contingent” and gather sensitive military data. One suspect, a 40-year-old ex-soldier from Berehovo district, was allegedly activated in September 2024 and passed on Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) positions and troop losses.

A second suspect, a woman and former AFU service member with access to an air base, is accused of reporting on Ukrainian aircraft and defenses. In a short statement, she appears to admit spying.

“The SBU counterintelligence documented every step of the Hungarian agents and detained the suspects at their places of residence,” the agency stated.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó responded: “It is clear that anti-Hungarian propaganda is often used in Ukraine… that in many cases has turned out to have no basis whatsoever.”

However, independent media outlets in both countries have reported that the SBU’s claims appear credible.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán – who has frequently voiced support for Russia and accused Ukraine of discriminating against ethnic Hungarians – called an emergency Defense Council meeting over what he described as an “unprecedented operation.”

On May 14, Hungarian lawmaker Máté Kocsis accused Ukraine of waging a large-scale political campaign against Hungary, saying Budapest had long known about “intensive anti-partisan activities” by Ukrainian intelligence but chose not to escalate tensions.