Ukraine and Hungary said on Friday they were expelling two diplomats each after each side accused the other of engaging in espionage, APA reports citing Reuters.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, writing on the X social media platform, announced the action after Kyiv's SBU security agency said it had uncovered a spy network run by the Hungarian state to obtain intelligence about its defence.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Budapest's expulsion order was in response to what he called Ukrainian "propaganda".
"Two Hungarian diplomats must leave our country within 48 hours. We have just summoned Hungarian Ambassador to MFA_Ukraine and presented him with the relevant note," Sybiha wrote on X in English.
"We are acting in response to Hungary’s actions, based on the principle of reciprocity and our national interests."
Ukraine's SBU said in a statement it had detained two suspected agents who, it said, were being run by Hungarian military intelligence.
The SBU said the two suspects were former members of Ukraine's military, were in custody and had been given notice they were under suspicion of committing state treason.
It said they were recruited by a handler in Hungarian military intelligence, and given cash and special equipment for secret communication.
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