Orbán Accuses Ukrainians of Targeting His Family in Escalating Dispute
Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, has made a dramatic claim that Ukrainians are plotting to attack his family, intensifying a bitter standoff between Budapest and Kyiv. This accusation comes as Orbán's nationalist government faces a critical election next month, with polls showing him trailing challenger Péter Magyar by up to 20 points. The dispute appears to be leveraged for political gain, with Orbán and his allies ramping up anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in the run-up to the vote.
Emotional Video Release and Alleged Threats
On Wednesday night, Orbán released a video purporting to show him speaking to his daughters on the phone. In the footage, he appears emotional, stating, "I'm sure you'll see on the news that the Ukrainians have threatened not only me but you as well." He added, "My kids and my grandkids ... We have to take this seriously but we must not be scared." This was reportedly a response to comments by Hrihoriy Omelchenko, a retired Ukrainian politician and former SBU security service member, who suggested in a televised interview that vigilantes could target Orbán if he does not change his anti-Ukrainian stance.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had made remarks about Orbán, saying he would "give this person's address to our armed forces," which prompted European allies to urge him to moderate his language. Orbán, known as the most pro-Russian leader in the EU, has long had strained relations with Kyiv, but the current campaign has intensified as elections loom.
Pipeline Dispute and Escalating Actions
The latest tensions were triggered by Ukraine's announcement that repairs to an oil pipeline transporting Russian oil to Hungary would take several weeks after it was damaged in a Russian drone attack. In retaliation, Orbán vetoed further EU sanctions on Russia and a €90 billion loan for Ukraine. The situation escalated last Friday when Hungary's anti-terrorism police impounded a convoy of two armoured cars belonging to Ukraine's state savings bank, Oschadbank, and arrested seven Ukrainians accompanying it.
The convoy was transporting tens of millions of euros in cash and 9kg of gold bars from Vienna to Kyiv, in what Ukraine described as a routine government transfer with prior notification to Hungarian authorities. Budapest, however, suggested the money was being laundered. The seven men were held incommunicado for over 24 hours before being deported to the Ukrainian border, with the cash and gold remaining in Hungary.
Allegations of Unlawful Treatment and Pressure
Lóránt Horváth, the Hungarian lawyer for the detained men, told the Guardian that "every aspect of the procedure was unlawful, in particular the withholding of legal assistance." One detainee with diabetes was taken to hospital during interrogation, transported in handcuffs and with a hood over his head. According to Ukraine's foreign ministry, he was "forcibly injected with a drug after which his blood sugar level rose sharply and hypertension began." Horváth noted he had no information about an injection but was denied in-person access to his clients.
Ukraine's foreign ministry claimed "psychological and physical pressure was exerted on the detainees" throughout their detention. A security source in Kyiv alleged that Hungarian authorities tried to pressure the men into making a confession video, describing the methods as "Russian-style." This week, officials from both countries traded accusations, with Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, calling Hungary's actions "state terrorism," while Hungary's Péter Szijjártó dismissed the claims as "pretty pathetic" and questioned the purpose of the cash transfer.
Election Context and Disinformation Concerns
With the Hungarian election set for 12 April, there is potential for further escalation. The Financial Times reported that a Kremlin-aligned thinktank has drafted plans for a disinformation campaign to boost Orbán's re-election chances. Orbán has positioned himself as a peace candidate, warning that a win for Magyar would drag Hungary into the war on Ukraine's side. At a rally in Vecsés, he told supporters, "Is Zelenskyy forming a government, or am I? And if we only have these two options I suggest myself." Orbán's pro-Russian stance, including Szijjártó's 14 visits to Russia since the 2022 invasion, continues to fuel tensions with Ukraine and EU allies.
