Hungary alleges plot to blow up gas pipeline ahead of election
Hungary Claims Ukrainian Plot to Target Gas Pipeline Ahead of Election
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called an urgent session of the National Defence Council following the discovery of explosives near a critical Russian gas pipeline. The find, located in a border region with neighboring Serbia, has intensified concerns as Orban’s ruling Fidesz party faces mounting pressure in recent opinion polls before the pivotal elections on April 3. Opposition leader Peter Magyar has accused the prime minister of using the incident to spread fear, suggesting the blame is being shifted to “Russian advisers” to justify his political moves.
Security analysts had previously raised alarms about a potential “false flag” attack, possibly framed as Ukrainian sabotage. This comes after Orban, a longstanding ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has steadfastly opposed EU efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy. The TurkStream pipeline, which delivers Russian gas to Hungary and Slovakia, is now under scrutiny following the explosive find. Serbian President Alexander Vucic, a close political partner of Orban, informed him of the discovery on Sunday morning.
“Our units found an explosive of devastating power,” Vucic stated on Instagram, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The Serbian military uncovered two rucksacks containing explosives and detonators near the village of Tresnjevac in the Kanjiza district, approximately 20km from the pipeline’s entry point into Hungary. While no official charges have been filed against Ukraine yet, experts believe the incident could be a strategic move to bolster Orban’s narrative. “The attack was planned to create sympathy for Orban and secure his victory,” said Balint Pasztor, president of the Vojvodina Hungarian Association, who is also a key ally of the prime minister.
Fidesz has positioned anti-Ukraine sentiment as a central theme in its campaign. Orban frequently highlights Hungary’s affordable energy prices, attributing them to Russian imports. However, he alleges that a “Kyiv-Brussels-Berlin” alliance is conspiring to disrupt these supplies, aiming to replace him with a “puppet” leader. A government led by his rivals, he warns, would force Hungary into a broader conflict with Russia.
Orban has previously blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for an “oil blockade,” citing the absence of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline since January. Ukraine disputes this, claiming the pipeline was damaged during a Russian strike and is expected to resume operations by mid-April. Despite the controversy, the Hungarian government insists the threat is genuine, citing past incidents like drone strikes on the TurkStream pipeline.
“The Ukrainians organized an oil blockade, then launched drone attacks on our energy infrastructure,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote on Facebook, framing the events as part of a coordinated assault.
Former counter-intelligence officer Peter Buda noted that preliminary intelligence indicated the operation was premeditated. “Ukraine’s interests are not the focus here,” he said, adding that the attack would serve Orban’s political goals. As Serbian authorities prepare to release their initial findings, the situation remains under close watch, with the possibility of a clear link to Ukraine growing by Monday.