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15 April, 16:06
Politics

Hungary withdraws troops deployed to “defend” against Ukraine

Hungary has started withdrawing troops deployed to guard its energy infrastructure facilities against alleged Ukraine threat. The order to withdraw the troops was given by the Chief of Defence Staff of the Hungarian Defence Forces, Gábor Börönd.

“The Hungarian Defence Forces have begun to rationalise the number of service personnel involved in reinforcing the protection of infrastructure and energy facilities,” the Hungarian Defence Forces said in a statement on Wednesday.

The General Staff stated that, in the meantime, operators of essential infrastructure have reassessed their security arrangements, made necessary adjustments, and reinforced safeguards at their facilities.

“As a result, starting on 15 April 2026, the Hungarian Defence Forces will begin a phased reduction of deployed personnel and pull troops back from sites where the Ministry of Energy no longer deems military support required.” Previously, around 600 Hungarian troops had been assigned to protect key energy infrastructure sites.

The decision comes after Sunday’s election that ended the 16-year-rule of Hungary’s pro-Kremlin Prime Minister Victor Orban. In February this year, Orban ordered deployment of troops to protect his country’s key energy facilities against Ukrainian threat. “I have heard the briefings of the national security services and see that Ukraine is preparing further actions aimed at disrupting the operation of Hungary’s energy system,” Orbán said in a video address posted on X.

Serbia has also deployed troops to guard infrastructure that ensures the transit of gas to Hungary amid reported attempts of sabotage on a gas pipeline.

Being one of the longest oil pipelines in the world, Druzhba transports oil over 4,000 kilometers from Russia to Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Earlier in January, alleged Russian attack on the pipeline, halted deliveries, leaving Slovakia and Hungary facing energy shortages. Orban, along with pro-Russian Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico have repeatedly accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying the repair of Druzhba pipeline that supplies Russian oil to Hungary. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday said that the damaged pipeline would be operational by late April. However, this move would be in exchange of Hungary lifting its veto on the 90 billion euro loan to fund Ukraine’s war efforts against Russia, Zelenskiy explained. "We have promised that the [Druzhba pipeline] will be repaired by the end of April. Not completely, but enough for it to be operational," Zelenskyy said during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.