Hungarian servicemen deployed in the east of the country are carrying out both humanitarian and military tasks, Defence Minister Tibor Benkő said on Friday.
As part of their humanitarian duties, the soldiers are aiding the work of the police force and the interior ministry and handling the arrival, placement and care of refugees, Benkő told reporters after inspecting the units to be deployed to Debrecen and Hajdúhadház. Their military tasks, he added, serve to guarantee that “no militants stray into Hungary”.
Benkő stressed that as a member of NATO, Hungary was capable of carrying out tasks that other countries were undertaking at the international level.
He added that his NATO counterparts had spoken highly of the level of preparedness of Hungary’s soldiers at a meeting on Thursday.
Benkő said it was unclear how big of an area Russia’s attack covered, adding that it was necessary to be prepared for any development.
The minister said Hungary and NATO had plans in place in the event that the fighting would spread close to Hungary’s borders. Hungary can further bolster its necessary military capabilities either on its own of through international cooperation, he said.
Hungary’s ground and aerial reconnaissance units are already at work and the preparatory forces have arrived in the eastern part of the country, Benkő said.
Most other servicemen being relocated to the east will arrive at their destinations by Sunday, he said, adding that additional forces would be relocated if the situation were to deteriorate.
He said Hungary must also be prepared for Ukrainians arriving via the green border.
featured image via Tibor Rosta/MTI
