Hungary Bars Ukrainian Drone Commander from Schengen, But Poland Steps In

On August 28, Hungary has barred Ukraine’s Commander of the Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems, Robert Brovdi (“Madyar”), from entering the country and the wider Schengen Area.

Budapest links the move to recent Ukrainian drone strikes against the Druzhba oil pipeline, a key route supplying Russian crude to the European Union.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the decision followed what he described as an attack on Hungary’s sovereignty.

“This was an attack on Hungary’s sovereignty, endangering our energy security and nearly forcing the use of our strategic reserves.

Ukraine knows very well that the Druzhba pipeline is vital for Hungary’s and Slovakia’s energy supply, and that such strikes harm us far more than Russia.

Anyone who attacks our energy security and sovereignty must expect consequences,” Szijjártó stated.

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Pumping Station in Flames: Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Druzhba Pipeline Again

Aug 22, 2025 09:42

Madyar, an ethnic Hungarian from Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region, was appointed head of the Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems this summer.

According to Brovdi, the strike was carried out by the 14th Regiment of his drone force.

“By the end of August 21, the Unecha station is out. Our birds of the 14th regiment delivered a sting to the enemy,” Brovdi wrote, adding the Hungarian phrase “Ruszkik haza!”—meaning “Russians, go home.”

Shortly after Hungary’s announcement, Poland extended an invitation to him. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski wrote on X: “Commander Magyar: if you need some R&R and Hungary won’t let you in, please be our guest in Poland.”

European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova emphasized after the first attack that the Ukrainian drone strikes on the Druzhba pipeline did not affect oil supplies to Hungary or Slovakia and posed no threat to EU energy security.

“We maintain contacts with Hungarian and Slovak authorities, and importantly, the temporary disruption does not affect supply security, which is always a priority for the European Commission,” she said.

Previosuly, it was reported that the Druzhba pipeline has been repeatedly hit by Ukrainian drones. On August 18, a strike on the “Nikolskoye” station in Russia’s Tambov region halted supplies to Hungary for nearly two days. Deliveries resumed on August 20, only to be disrupted again by another attack the next day.

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