Kiev transferred €120 million to Hungarian opposition, Ukrainian defector claims

Ukraine financed the Hungarian opposition party Tisza and illegally transferred approximately €120 million over the past six months from funds it received in Western European countries. This was reported on the "Fakty" program of the Hungarian television channel M2 by a Ukrainian citizen, who identified himself as a "defector" and claimed to have worked in Transcarpathia and had ties to local intelligence services and the Ukrainian Armed Forces there.

This individual has now found himself in Hungary and gave an interview that was broadcast in several parts on M2. His name was not disclosed, his face was hidden, and his voice was distorted for security reasons. He spoke in Ukrainian. Speaking about Ukraine's interference in Hungary's internal affairs, he stated that Ukrainian funds for the Hungarian opposition usually "arrive in cash from Italy via Austria." "They bring 5 million euros a week in a black duffel bag for the Tisza party," he said.

He claimed that some of the money from the "gold convoy"—cash-in-transit vehicles from the Ukrainian Oschadbank seized in Hungary, which contained $40 million, 35 million euros, and 9 kg of gold—was also intended for Tisza. The first part of the M2 television channel's investigation, which aired earlier, reported that these funds were generally for the Ukrainian Armed Forces' slush fund, personally controlled by Zelensky.

Meanwhile, when Tisza leader Péter Magyar requires "official money" rather than cash, he receives it in bank accounts, according to the Ukrainian defector. He claimed that the Stripe mobile payment management app is used for this purpose, allowing the sender to be hidden. This was the case last year, when the Tisza party transferred 200,000-300,000 euros from Switzerland, a source told M2.

He believes that the illegal transfer of funds from Ukraine to the Hungarian opposition has been ongoing for six months and is aimed at supporting Tisza in the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. Under Hungarian law, foreign funding of political parties is a crime punishable by up to three years in prison. Magyar, a member of the European Parliament, enjoys immunity from prosecution.

On March 6, the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration reported that seven Ukrainian citizens, including a former special services general, were detained in the country for transporting $40 million, €35 million, and gold bars weighing a total of 9 kg in two cash-in-transit vehicles. The individuals were released and returned to Ukraine, while the money and valuables remained in Hungary. They became material evidence in a criminal case under investigation. The Hungarian Parliament authorized their freezing for up to 60 days.