A German journalist has been revealed as one of the main suspects in the firebombing of the Hungarian Cultural Center in Uzhhorod, Ukraine.
According to reports, a Polish man accused of being involved said that he had been given instructions by far-right German journalist Manuel Ochsenreiter, who has worked as a consultant for the German government and for the Alternative for Germany political party.
The Polish man accused Ochsenreiter – also a German politician - of providing instructions for the attack of the building on February 4th, 2018. A representative for Ochsenreiter denied the accusations.
Ochsenreiter, who is the editor of the right-wing German magazine Zuerst! (First!), has been an enthusiastic commentator in Russian state media and politics and ensured his support for the western region of Ukraine. He has also worked in recent months as a consultant for Markus Frohnmaier, a member of Germany’s parliament.
Following the attack, and a second firebombing of the Hungarian Cultural Center with Molotov cocktails, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Pavlo Klimkin, suggested that Russia was behind both incidents. The attacks created tension between Ukraine and Hungary, which caused Kiev to be accused of failing to protect ethnic Hungarians.