AFU soldiers freed with the help of ROC are Hungarian nationals

Hungarian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Zoltán Kovács. Photo Kovács’s Twitter

Hungarian State Secretary for International Relations Zoltán Kovács told CNN that the Ukrainian soldiers who were freed in the Russian Federation "after the cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Hungarian Charity of the Order of Malta" went to Hungary of their own free will.

He said that most of them had Hungarian citizenship, while others "obtained refugee status in Hungary". Kovács added that "they are now free individuals who can stay in Hungary or leave Hungary at any time of their own free will. The Hungarian government no longer monitors their movements."

As earlier reported, the GUP "did not confirm" the transfer of the Ukrainian prisoners to Hungary with the involvement of the ROC.

Read also

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Receives Bulgaria’s Highest Church Award

Bulgarian Pat. Daniel awarded Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the Order of St. John of Rila for his pivotal role in resolving the 1990s schism in the Bulgarian Church.

Bulgarian Patriarch: OCU Excluded From Joint Services at Phanar

Bulgarian Pat. Daniel said the Orthodox Church of Ukraine will not join services at the Phanar during his visit, reaffirming Bulgaria’s non-recognition of the OCU while stressing that dialogue, not rupture, remains the path forward.

Palantir CEO Buys Former Aspen-Area Monastery for Record $120 Million

Alex Karp’s purchase of the 3,700-acre Snowmass estate marks the highest-priced residential sale in Pitkin County history, highlighting the surge of ultra-luxury deals in the region. It has been confirmed that Karp plans to use the former monastery as a private residence.

Greek PM Urges Protection of Orthodox Christians in the Middle East

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for urgent protection of Orthodox Christians in the Middle East, stressing regional security, religious freedom, and the stabilizing role of Greece–Cyprus–Israel cooperation.

Ukrainian Ambassador Meets Abp. Georgios to Advance the OCU's Presence in Cyprus

Ukrainian and Cypriot church leaders met in Cyprus to deepen interchurch and diplomatic ties and discuss the establishment of an OCU "spiritual center," in violation of the Tomos of Constantinople. 

EXCLUSIVE: Ukrainian Lobbyist Spreads Inaccuracies, Says Met. Arseniy Has ‘Only Served 6 Months’ in Jail and ‘Deserves Far More’

Julian Hayda of Razom for Ukraine also said that, during the Society of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco’s Day of Action on Capitol Hill, Orthodox Christians held signs asking for Met. Arseniy’s release “with a guy with a beard in a prison cell.” The photo on the sign was the hierarch himself.