Hungary ordered 10 members of Russia’s diplomatic mission in Budapest to leave after authorities concluded that their activities were unacceptable for diplomats. Foreign Minister Anita Orbán cited the Vienna Convention, the treaty governing diplomatic conduct, but did not publicly specify the alleged acts or departure deadline.
The decision came after Prime Minister Peter Magyar replaced Viktor Orbán, whose government maintained unusually warm ties with Moscow and repeatedly resisted some European Union measures. Hungary said the expulsions protect national security and sovereignty while stopping short of severing diplomatic relations with Russia.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would provide an appropriate response but did not immediately describe the number or identity of any Hungarian diplomats it might expel. European Commission officials called the step legitimate and placed it amid broader European allegations of Russian sabotage, spying and other hybrid operations, which Moscow denies.
Diplomatic expulsions are a common state response to alleged intelligence activity because criminal prosecution can be limited by immunity and evidentiary sensitivity. Reciprocal expulsions can reduce embassy capacity without ending relations, leaving smaller missions to manage consular work and government communication. The policy change follows a domestic transfer of power and may alter how Hungary votes on EU measures involving Russia, Ukraine and energy ties.
At the edition deadline, Budapest had not released evidence describing the ten diplomats’ alleged activities, so the security rationale remained an official assessment rather than a publicly testable case. The next documented developments will be Russia’s promised response and any reciprocal removals and Hungary’s next votes on EU sanctions, Ukraine policy and Russian energy arrangements.