Russia's transfer of two Ukrainian POWs to Hungary to be considered as provocation – Coordination Headquarters

According to Ukrinform, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War stated this on Telegram.

The Coordination Headquarters condemned the transfer of Ukrainian citizens between Hungary and the aggressor state, describing it as a Russian provocation. According to the statement, the aim is once again to undermine the Geneva Conventions and international law, as well as to worsen relations between two European countries as part of Russia's hybrid aggression against Europe.

At the same time, supporting Moscow's war crimes and manipulating the lives of Ukrainian prisoners of war may be considered by international courts as participation in the unprovoked aggression against Ukraine.

The Coordination Headquarters called on all parties involved in the provocation to abandon unlawful intentions and not use Ukrainian servicemen who were captured by Russia as bargaining chips.

"We also demand comprehensive information about the health condition of the captured Ukrainian citizens and that authorized representatives of Ukraine be allowed to visit our defenders," the Coordination Headquarters emphasized. It added that work is ongoing to bring home and rescue from Russian captivity all Ukrainian citizens, as well as individuals with dual citizenship.

The headquarters also recalled that in 2023, 11 Ukrainian citizens were transferred from Russia to Hungary without coordination with Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported, according to Russian media, Vladimir Putin stated on March 4 that Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's foreign minister who was visiting Moscow, could take two ethnic Hungarians from Zakarpattia with him to Budapest. They had been mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine and were captured.

Szijjarto had expressed hope that Russia would release the two prisoners of war, ethnic Hungarians, following his talks with Putin.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said it would summon Hungary's charge d'affaires to obtain reliable information about the alleged transfer of several prisoners of war by Russia to the Hungarian side.