A fake Euronews article and video claiming opposition leader Péter Magyar insulted Donald Trump is circulating online as part of a Russian disinformation campaign linked to the group Storm-1516. This effort is part of broader allegations that Russia is interfering in Hungary's election to support Orbán through disinformation campaigns and hacking. According to documents accessed by The Washington Post, Russian intelligence has floated a proposal for a staged assassination attempt on Orbán to influence the outcome.
Orbán's government, which has been in power for 16 years, has consistently aligned with Russian interests on the European stage. Hungary has blocked EU loans and support for Ukraine, and Budapest blocked the EU's 20th package of sanctions against Russia and a 90-billion-euro loan to Ukraine over a pipeline dispute. Orbán is widely described as the EU's most pro-Russian leader and has criticized Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Analysts note that Orbán adopts increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Ukraine as part of a strategy to boost his Fidesz Party, which is currently trailing the opposition Tisza Party in polls, while maintaining warm relations with Russia despite the full-scale war. Direct Kremlin involvement appears extensive, with the Russian embassy in Budapest reportedly serving as a Kremlin-run part-time command center for Hungary's election campaign. In collaboration with Orbán, his government, and his Fidesz party, the Kremlin is allegedly organizing smear campaigns against opposition candidate Péter Magyar.
A three-person team of 'political technologists' traveled to Hungary to help Orbán secure another election victory, according to sources from European intelligence agencies. These operatives are reportedly working under the supervision of Sergey Kiriyenko, deputy head of the Russian presidential administration, and would be working from the Russian Embassy on behalf of the GRU, shielded by diplomatic immunity. An undisclosed Central European source indicates Kiriyenko's task force is in active contact with campaign operatives connected to Orbán's government, and a VSquare investigation states that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin instructed Kiriyenko to 'deal with' Hungary.
Orbán threatened to use force to break what he called a Ukrainian oil blockade.
Historical context adds layers to this relationship. A small black plaque on house No. 99 on Budapest's Andrassy Boulevard marks an episode from November 1956 when Soviet troops invaded Hungary and crushed an uprising against the Communist Party.
Some Soviet soldiers refused to take part in the bloodbath against Hungarian freedom fighters and were shot as a result, with executions taking place at what was then the Soviet Embassy and is now the Embassy of the Russian Federation. ' The party targets rural and small-town communities, where local mayors exercise control over daily lives in exchange for votes. Concurrently, police raids on clubs and festivals are selective and target events critical of the government, amid a broader 'war on drugs' with strict laws implemented by the government, including raids on nightlife venues in Budapest.
Diplomatic leaks and espionage allegations further strain Hungary's EU ties. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has been accused of leaking confidential EU information to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In response, the European Commission has demanded clarifications from Hungary over the alleged leaks, and Orbán has ordered an investigation into the alleged wiretapping of Szijjártó.
Additionally, Hungarian authorities have accused journalist Szabolcs Panyi of spying for Ukraine after he reported on Russian election interference. The election context is highly competitive, with the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, leading in opinion polls ahead of the vote. Tensions with Ukraine are exacerbated by a pipeline dispute.
President Volodymyr Zelensky hinted he would ask the Ukrainian army to talk to Orbán 'in their own language' and noted he does not favor restoring the Druzhba pipeline as it transports Russian oil.
Kyiv says the Druzhba pipeline requires repairs due to a Russian attack in western Ukraine in late January, while Slovakia and Hungary accused Ukraine of deliberately withholding supplies. Ukraine reported that several Ukrainian state bank employees were detained in Hungary while transporting cash shipments from Austria. Budapest and Bratislava have called for a joint inspection of the damaged pipeline with EU participation.
Russian interference patterns extend beyond Hungary, with the Kremlin accused of deploying troll farms, disinformation, and vote-buying networks to sway the vote in Moldova against President Maia Sandu's pro-EU party. Kiriyenko is behind Russian interference in the 2024 presidential elections in Moldova to prevent pro-European President Maia Sandu from winning, indicating a regional strategy. International awareness is growing, with Daria Boyarskaya, a former interpreter for Vladimir Putin, coordinating an OSCE election monitoring mission in Hungary, raising concerns about Russian influence.
Intelligence on Moscow's attempt to prop up Orbán has been shared with partners, and many EU and NATO agencies are likely already aware. MEPs have urged the European Commission to investigate Russian manipulation and voter coercion in Hungary's election. Amid these dynamics, the government's 'war on drugs' and domestic policies continue, with strict enforcement including police raids.
Propaganda impact is significant, with Viktor Orbán's anti-Ukrainian narratives only strengthening the cover for Russian propagandists. Kiriyenko maintains ties with some organizers of Orbán's Fidesz party's election campaign.