The prohibition issued by Hungary for a Ukrainian commander, after “extremely severe attacks” on the Russian oil pipeline

Hungary and Ukraine had an exchange of harsh replies on Thursday, in an increasing dispute on the theme of repeated interruptions from the supply through the Russian oil pipeline. Budapest has issued an entry prohibition for a Ukrainian commander, ethnically Hungarian, which he accuses of “extremely severe attacks” on the Drujba pipeline, AFP reports.

In reply, Ukraine accused Hungary of “moral decay.”

The oil supply of Hungary through the Drujba pipeline has been repeatedly affected by the Ukraine war, as a result of the attacks performed by the Kiev forces on the Russian energy infrastructure.

The relations between Kiev and Budapest have deteriorated vertiginously in the context of the war, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintaining links with the Kremlin and blocking Kiev's efforts to join the European Union.

The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Szijjarto, said that Budapest issued an entry prohibition on behalf of the “commander of the military unit that made the recent extremely severe attacks against the Drujba oil pipeline”.

“This was an attack on the sovereignty of Hungary, which endangers our energy security,” wrote Szijjarto in a post on the X platform.

Ukraine's reaction

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski denounced the decision of Hungary, saying, also on X that the prohibition of entry into Hungary “can only cause indignation.”

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, said that Hungary is “on the wrong side of history.”

“How unreasonable to post this after a brutal attack by the Russian terrorist state,” Sybiha said on X, referring to the massive attack on Russian forces on Ukraine during the night, in which at least 17 people died, including four children.

“Peter, if the Russian pipeline is more important than the Ukrainian children killed by Russia this morning, this is a moral decline,” said the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, adding that his country will take symmetrical measures.

What did the prohibition targeted commander say

Ukrainian commander Robert Brovdi, the Hungarian ethnic aimed by prohibition, criticized the “sanctions and restrictions” imposed by Budapest, saying on Telegram that “your hands are covered by Ukrainian blood. And we will remember that.”

Last week, Viktor Orban said he was crying to US President Donald Trump that Ukraine's military operations have disrupted Hungary's oil supply.

Hungary and Slovakia have asked the European Commission to “act against the repeated attacks of Ukraine on the Drujba Petroleum.”

The EU has forbidden most of the oil imports from Russia since 2022, but the Drujba pipe has been exempted to offer European countries without exit time to find alternative oil sources.

Viktor Orban and his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, denounce the sanctions and claim that they threaten the energy security of their countries.