Hungary alleges plot to blow up gas pipeline ahead of election
Hungary Alleges Plot to Destroy Gas Pipeline Before Election
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban summoned an urgent session of the National Defence Council following the discovery of explosives near a critical Russian gas pipeline. The find occurred in a border region shared with Serbia, raising concerns about potential threats to Hungary’s energy supply. This development coincides with Orban’s ruling party lagging in public support ahead of pivotal elections scheduled for next Sunday.
Opposition leader Peter Magyar has criticized Orban, claiming the situation is a deliberate “panic-mongering” campaign backed by “Russian advisers.” This comes after security analysts issued warnings about a possible “false flag” operation, which could be attributed to Ukraine. Orban, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has consistently resisted EU efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy since the Ukraine invasion began.
“Our units found an explosive of devastating power,” said Serbian President Alexander Vucic in an Instagram post, informing Orban of the discovery. He pledged to update Hungary on the ongoing investigation.
Two rucksacks filled with explosives and detonators were uncovered by Serbian forces near the village of Tresnjevac in the Kanjiza district, approximately 20km from the TurkStream pipeline’s entry point into Hungary. The pipeline, which delivers between five and eight billion cubic metres of Russian gas annually, is vital for both Hungary and Slovakia. Orban’s allies, including Balint Pasztor of the Vojvodina Hungarian Association, suggested the attack might have targeted Hungary’s supply lines, potentially implicating Ukraine.
Fidesz, Orban’s party, has framed Ukraine as a key adversary in its election strategy. At campaign events, Orban has emphasized that low energy costs in Hungary depend on affordable Russian fuel and gas. He accuses a “Kyiv-Brussels-Berlin” alliance of seeking to replace him with a “puppet” leader, Peter Magyar, and of pushing Hungary toward a European 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, stating the pipeline was damaged in a Russian attack and is expected to resume operations by mid-April. No official evidence has yet linked Ukraine to the current pipeline incident.
Security analysts in Hungary, such as Andras Racz, warned of a potential “fake attack” on the TurkStream pipeline. Racz predicted the explosives would be traced to Ukrainian origins, reinforcing Orban’s narrative. A former counter-intelligence officer, Peter Buda, noted that the operation appears designed to sway public opinion in favor of Orban’s re-election bid.
The Hungarian government maintains the threat is genuine, asserting that recent events—including a drone assault on the pipeline and the current explosive find—support its claim of an organized campaign against Russian energy imports. With the election looming, Orban’s team continues to frame the situation as a critical moment for national security.