Ukrainian ombudsman accuses Hungary of violating international law by holding Ukrainian POWs
Nation21 June 2023, 06:50 PM
Lubinets emphasized that Hungary's actions, conducted without notifying the Ukrainian government, are a clear violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention. According to international law, the relocation of POWs should only occur after informing their country.
While Russia's disregard for internationally accepted rules is not surprising, Lubinets expressed his astonishment that a member of the EU and NATO would openly and deliberately engage in such behavior. He revealed that he reached out to his Hungarian counterpart to inquire about the conditions of confinement but received no response.
Lubinets further explained that Ukrainian diplomats are also prohibited from contacting the Ukrainian POWs held in Hungary, leaving them unable to communicate with their loved ones.
Although Ukraine is aware of the whereabouts of eight POWs, this information has not been publicly disclosed. Kyiv is seeking an official response from Hungary on the matter.
"The Hungarian parliament has twice denied any involvement, attributing it to the personal initiative of a deputy prime minister,” Lubinets asserted.
“I believe this was initially orchestrated by Russian special forces as part of an information campaign against Ukraine with Hungarian involvement.”
While Ukraine's swift response thwarted the aggressor's plans, Lubinets warned that the Kremlin will continue its efforts.
On June 8, the Russian Orthodox Church announced that it had handed over a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war to Hungary. The following day, Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate stated that it had not received this information and was in the process of verifying it.
Subsequently, Hungary's Deputy Prime Minister, Zsolt Semjén, confirmed the transfer of the Ukrainian POWs, who were residents of Ukraine's Zakarpattya Oblast. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressing its lack of knowledge about negotiations between Budapest and Moscow, requested detailed information about the released Ukrainians and a meeting with the temporary chargé d'affaires of Hungary.
According to sources quoted by the Hungarian branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the transfer might have been a personal initiative of Semjén, unknown to the rest of the Hungarian government.
On June 20, the Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest succeeded in repatriating three of the POWs, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko.