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Nearly Half of Russian Embassy Staff in Hungary Linked to Intelligence, Investigation Finds
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Nearly half of the staff at Russia’s embassy in Budapest may be linked to intelligence services, according to an investigation published by the outlet Agentstvo on April 8.
The report found that out of 47 accredited embassy personnel, at least 15 have connections to Russian intelligence agencies, including military intelligence and the Federal Security Service.
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An additional six individuals were also identified as potentially having ties to intelligence structures, the investigation said.
Journalists noted that many embassy staff members have backgrounds consistent with career intelligence officers, including education at specialized security academies and residential registrations tied to government-linked properties in Moscow.
In several cases, previous employment and educational histories directly point to intelligence affiliations, reflecting what analysts describe as a standard method of building intelligence networks under diplomatic cover.
Among those identified is First Counselor Vyacheslav Shmidt, 43, who in 2024 listed his place of registration in Moscow at an address on Marshal Biryuzov Street, where at least three individuals linked to Russian military intelligence are also registered.
Another first counselor, 41-year-old Alexei Shaposhnikov, was reportedly listed in a contact database as “Lesha FSB,” and worked between 2019 and 2021 at Rossotrudnichestvo, an organization that promotes Russian interests abroad and is widely viewed as a front for intelligence activity.
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Earlier, reports emerged that Hungary and Russia signed a previously undisclosed 12-point plan to deepen cooperation across energy, trade, education, and culture.
The agreement was signed in Moscow after a December 9, 2025, meeting of the Russian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko endorsed the plan, which laid out areas for closer alignment between the two governments.
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