'This is fake!': Hungary lashes out at Ukraine over evidence of drone flight route
Photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (facebook.com)
The pro-Russian government of Hungary reacted to a map showing the flight route of a Hungarian drone that violated Ukrainian airspace. In Budapest, officials called the map "fake" and complained of "harassment," according to Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Szijjártó responded strongly, declaring the published map a "fake."
"This is fake! You should not discredit yourself!" he said, commenting on a post by Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha.
Orbán resorted to blackmail and manipulation, emphasizing that Hungary is a member of NATO and the European Union. He claimed that without support from these organizations, Ukraine would have “collapsed long ago.”
"Hungary is a member of NATO and the EU. Ukraine would have collapsed long ago without the support of these two organisations. President Zelenskyy, with all due respect, stop harassing us!" he wrote.
A Hungarian reconnaissance drone conducted surveillance over Ukraine
On September 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that a Hungarian reconnaissance UAV flew over Zakarpattia, searching for locations of defense industry facilities. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine presented proof of the airspace violation.
In response, the Hungarian Ministry of Defense denied any violations and claimed that no Hungarian UAVs had flown over Ukraine.
On the same day, Zelenskyy promised that Ukraine would respond much more strongly to future provocations. On September 27, during a press briefing, he said that Hungary is doing "very dangerous, first and foremost for themselves."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha published evidence of the violation — a map showing the flight route of the Hungarian reconnaissance drone.
