Day: March 26, 2026
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said it identified a Hungarian military intelligence officer who led a spy network in western Ukraine after operating for years in Georgia under diplomatic cover. The man has been identified as Zoltán Andre.
“From 2016 to 2020, Andre was in Georgia, where he conducted intelligence activities under the cover of a representative of Hungary’s diplomatic mission,” the SBU said in a March 23 statement, adding, “After returning from the South Caucasus, he began intelligence and subversive activities against Ukraine in 2021.”
According to the report, Andre led a spy network in Ukraine’s western Zakarpattia region, which was uncovered in spring 2025. The SBU said it detained two members of this spy cell who were “collecting information on the region’s military defenses, local socio-political sentiment, and possible public reaction in the event of Hungarian troops entering the area.”
According to the agency, Andre used diplomatic institutions for recruitment and promised remuneration.
Tbilisi has not yet commented on the SBU’s statement.
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@SouthCaucasus @JAMnewsCaucasus That’s one out of numerous advantages GD managed to achieve for the citizens of Georgia
— KGri (@KGri68) Mar 26, 2026
Russian Foreign Ministry on Russia–Georgia relations
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing that Moscow is “always ready” to deepen relations with Georgia, adding that “the Georgian side also appears to share this interest.”
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties, Zakharova stressed the importance of so-called “people-to-people contacts” as a way to improve relations. She said political dialogue remains possible, but only if Tbilisi shows readiness.
In the same context, she blamed the events of 2008 and what she described as the “criminal and reckless regime” of former president Mikheil Saakashvili for the breakdown in dialogue between Russia and Georgia. Zakharova said distancing from Russia does not represent a “rationally justified” choice for Georgia and added that Tbilisi is gradually pursuing what she called the West’s “real objectives.”
Economic ties also form a central part of the Kremlin’s argument. Zakharova said Russia remains one of Georgia’s main trading partners, adding that bilateral trade grew by 6% in 2025 to reach $2.7 billion. She also outlined export volumes, saying two-thirds of Georgian wine, around 90% of fruit, and a significant share of soft drinks are sold on the Russian market.
She added that Russia serves as a leading supplier of strategically important goods for Georgia, including energy resources and grain, further reinforcing economic interdependence.
Zakharova also highlighted the role of tourism. She said the resumption of direct flights and the return of Russian tourists provide important support for Georgia’s tourism sector.
Russian Foreign Ministry on Russia–Georgia relations