According to the investigation, 15 embassy employees are connected with the intelligence services, and another six could have such connections. The conclusion was drawn after analyzing databases originating from information leaks over several years.
In total, according to the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 47 people are working at the Russian embassy.
The publication also provides specific examples:
- The first advisor, Veaceslav Schmidt (43 years old), is said to have worked in 2011 as the chief of staff of a military unit within the Strategic Missile Forces. In 2024, he was registered at an address in Moscow where at least three employees of the GRU also reside.
- Another chief advisor, Alexei Șapoșnikov (41 years old), appears in the agenda of acquaintances under the name “Leșa the FSB-ist”.
- The commercial representative, Serghei Leliuk (58 years old), is said to have previously worked in the Russian Ministry of Defense, and in 2025 he was registered as living in a building in Moscow where members of the GRU also reside.
Journalists note that some employees do not have direct confirmed links with special services, however, clues such as home addresses, studies, or previous workplaces suggest possible connections.
According to the same investigation, the involvement of Russian special services in the activity of the embassy in Hungary would be greater than in Belgium, where the NATO headquarters and European Union institutions are located.