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Hungarian government alleges Ukrainian sabotage ahead of elections
Hungarian ministers claim Ukraine is plotting physical attacks on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his family, as well as sabotage of critical energy infrastructure, to prevent his Fidesz party from winning the 12 April parliamentary election. The accusations come amid a surge of anti-Ukraine rhetoric in Hungary, which Kyiv dismisses as a deliberate scare campaign to secure Fidesz's re-election.
Kremlin-linked disinformation campaign fuels tensions
The Financial Times reported that the Social Design Agency, a Russian-affiliated media consultancy, is orchestrating a large-scale disinformation operation in Hungary. The campaign aims to bolster Orbán's government while undermining the opposition Tisza Party and its leader, Péter Magyar. Analysts are divided over the strategy's effectiveness, with some suggesting Orbán is desperate amid polling deficits-Fidesz trails Tisza 39% to 50%-while others argue he is stoking fears of national peril to rally his base.
Disrupted Druzhba pipeline at the heart of dispute
The conflict centers on the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to Hungarian and Slovak refineries. Deliveries halted on 27 January after a Russian drone strike ignited a fire at Ukraine's Brody oil hub. Orbán later presented satellite images claiming the pipeline remained intact, accusing Kyiv of deliberately delaying repairs to sabotage his re-election by triggering fuel shortages.
Security analyst András Rácz of the German Council on Foreign Relations disputed Hungary's claims, explaining that a damaged storage tank at Brody had forced authorities to pump 75 million liters of crude into the pipeline for safekeeping. Additional technical damage from subsequent Russian attacks has further complicated repairs, with Ukraine estimating a six-week timeline for restoration.
State-backed propaganda and military deployments escalate fears
Anti-Ukraine messaging dominates Hungary's media landscape. Billboards and digital displays depict Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a financial burden on the EU, while others juxtapose him with Magyar, falsely accusing Tisza of plotting to drag Hungary into the war. Magyar counters these claims at rallies, branding his party as the "real party of peace."
Fidesz has intensified its rhetoric with alarming visuals, including an AI-generated video showing a child's father executed by a firing squad-a fate the party implies awaits Hungarians if Tisza wins. Facebook rejected complaints that the ad violated its policies on violence and political content.
In an unusual move, Hungary deployed troops to guard energy sites, framing the measure as public reassurance. Opposition figures, however, describe it as an attempt to intimidate voters. In Debrecen, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky warned of potential "hybrid operations" targeting the city. Independent journalist Tamás Polgár Tóth noted public confusion over the lack of information about air-raid shelters, a concern later addressed by Debrecen's Fidesz mayor, László Papp.
Diplomatic clashes and financial fallout
Orbán vetoed an EU loan to Ukraine on 21 February, demanding the restoration of Druzhba oil flows as a precondition. Kyiv secured a €1.5 billion IMF loan to bridge the gap until the dispute is resolved. Tensions flared further on 4 March when Zelensky warned that blocking €90 billion in EU aid would prompt Ukraine to share the vetoing party's address with its military. Though he did not name Orbán, the Hungarian leader responded angrily, accusing Kyiv of resorting to "threats and blackmail."
The standoff escalated when Hungarian anti-terror units seized two vehicles belonging to Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank at the border. Pro-government media alleged the bank's legal representatives included Tisza supporters. A government decree on Monday ordered prosecutors to investigate whether criminal or political groups benefited from the transported assets.
Fact-finding mission sparks new row
On Wednesday, a Hungarian government delegation crossed into Ukraine to inspect the Druzhba pipeline. Deputy Energy Minister Gábor Czepek stated their goal was to assess the pipeline's status and facilitate its restart. Ukraine dismissed the group as tourists, asserting they lacked official status or scheduled meetings. The foreign ministry called it "fundamentally incorrect" to label them a delegation.
The incident triggered another diplomatic spat. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Zelensky of lying after the Ukrainian president claimed ignorance of the delegation's arrival. Szijjártó produced an official note from Hungary's embassy in Kyiv to support his claim. Ukraine countered that it had already informed Hungary the proposed visit dates were unacceptable.
