Budapest’s decision to expel 10 Russian diplomats signals the start of a purge in Hungary to rid the system of Russian spy networks and restore control over the country’s security.
Pavel Havlíček, a research fellow at the Association for International Affairs (Prague), expressed this view in comments to Ukrinform.
According to him, this benefits both Hungary and its partners in the EU and Ukraine, as the Russian embassy in Budapest has long served as a “safe haven” for coordinating Russian intelligence activities throughout Central Europe.
“This is a signal that Hungary is finally beginning to put its own house in order. All intelligence agencies have long known what these so-called diplomats are actually up to and were just waiting for the political will. Despite threats from Moscow, this move will significantly weaken the Kremlin’s intelligence capabilities in the region,” Havlíček emphasized.
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