Orban Accuses Ukraine of Beating Dual Citizen, Ukraine Denies

Budapest, Jul 11 (AP) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukrainian authorities of fatally beating a Hungarian-Ukrainian dual citizen during his military mobilization, an allegation that Ukraine has dismissed but which has exacerbated tensions between the neighboring countries.

Orban, a staunch critic of Ukraine and an opponent of its efforts to repel Russia’s full-scale invasion, claimed on state radio that a man who reportedly passed away in a Ukrainian hospital earlier this month was “beaten to death” by his military recruiters.

He did not provide any evidence to support this accusation, stating that the investigation is ongoing.

These remarks followed Hungary's foreign ministry summoning the Ukrainian ambassador over the unverified report. The ministry accused Ukrainian military personnel of beating the man as part of "forced conscription" before taking him to a recruitment center.

Ukrainian authorities have denied this version of events, asserting that the man was a Ukrainian citizen who had left his military post without permission and later admitted himself to a hospital. According to them, the hospital found no indications of physical injuries suggestive of violence.

The cause of death was determined to be a pulmonary embolism, as per a statement from Ukraine's embassy in Budapest posted on social media on Thursday.

"We categorically reject any allegations of forced conscription, mistreatment, or human rights violations" by any Ukrainian military personnel, the statement declared, noting that Ukraine is open to a "transparent investigation."

This disagreement has further strained the diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Hungary, a NATO and European Union member.

While the majority of EU nations have provided political, financial, and military support to Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, Hungary — under Orban's leadership — has pursued a markedly different path.

Hungary has refused to supply weapons to Ukraine or allow their transit through its territory, called for easing sanctions, sought closer relations with Russia, and adopted a confrontational stance toward both Kyiv and its EU allies.

With his ruling Fidesz party losing ground in the polls and a new opposition movement gaining strength, Orban has intensified an anti-Ukraine campaign — framing the upcoming election as a choice between peace and war. He has also accused Kyiv of attempting to overthrow his government to install a pro-Ukraine administration.

In May, tensions led to reciprocal diplomatic expulsions between Hungary and Ukraine after Ukraine's main intelligence agency arrested two individuals on charges of spying for Hungary by collecting intelligence on Ukraine’s military in the west of the country.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)