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Assassination attempt against PM Orbán? Russian foreign intelligence apparently considering it – Updated
A recent report by The Washington Post has sparked controversy after claiming that a unit within Russia’s foreign intelligence service considered a drastic and highly controversial scenario involving Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of elections.
Allegations of a “game-changer” strategy
According to the report, officers within Russia’s SVR intelligence agency discussed the possibility that an assassination attempt (potentially even a staged one) could fundamentally change Hungary’s political campaign.
The idea was described internally as a “game-changer”, suggesting it could shift public discourse away from socio-economic concerns towards emotional issues such as national security and political stability.
While there is no indication that any such plot was ever carried out, the mere suggestion shows what sources describe as the high strategic importance of Hungary to Moscow.
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Why is Hungary so important to Russia?
According to 444, Hungary has long been viewed as a key partner for the Kremlin within both the European Union and NATO. Under Viktor Orbán, the country has maintained relatively close ties with Russia.
Unnamed European security sources cited in the report claim that Moscow regards Orbán as a valuable ally. One official reportedly described him as “one of Russia’s most important assets”, adding that it would be difficult to imagine the Kremlin remaining passive if his political position were threatened.
The report also alleges that Russia has previously sought to influence Hungarian public opinion through coordinated social media campaigns portraying Orbán as the sole defender of national sovereignty.
Have you heard? Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó says “No Russian interference”, blames Ukraine instead.
Claims of influence operations
The article also suggests that Kremlin-linked narratives were disseminated in Hungary with the help of intermediaries, including individuals connected to the Russian embassy in Budapest. These efforts allegedly included attempts to discredit opposition figures.
Additionally, intelligence sources claimed that Russian operatives may have engaged in wider influence activities across the country, although these assertions are still unverified publicly.
Russia has consistently denied any involvement in foreign election interference. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report as “another example of disinformation”, while the Russian embassy in Budapest reiterated that Moscow does not interfere in other nations’ domestic politics.
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FM Szijjártó: It’s the Ukrainians and Tisza Party
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that Ukrainian propaganda outlets and their Hungarian partners are also spreading absurd claims about so-called self-inflicted attacks.
In a video published on Facebook on Saturday, Péter Szijjártó said that “it appears that the Tisza Party and those backing them have become alarmed by what has taken place over the past week or two. They see the crowds at Viktor Orbán’s rallies, they have witnessed the largest Peace March of all time, and they can see that people in Hungary do not want war.”
He added that “now Ukrainian propaganda media and their Hungarian partners are talking nonsense about self-inflicted attacks. Interestingly, the leader of the Tisza Party spoke about exactly this a few weeks or months ago. The reality is that Hungarians can see through this. They clearly recognise that these fake stories, these lies forming part of Ukrainian propaganda, are created for no other reason than to support the Tisza Party in the Hungarian elections and to influence the outcome.”
“But we Hungarians will not allow this,” he stressed.
“It is not enough that Zelenskyy is blackmailing Hungary, nor that he is issuing deadly threats against the Prime Minister; now they are also fabricating all kinds of insane conspiracy theories.” He added that “on 12 April, the Hungarian people will cast their votes, and they can ensure that it is not Zelenskyy who has the last laugh.”
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Featured image: Orbán Viktor/Facebook
Orban Viktor without a doubt is Russia’s biggest asset inside the EU and NATO. They will do anything to keep him in power. Fortunately European intelligence was able to pick up on this plot and thus defuse the ability of it to affect opinion in favour of Fidesz if the public is forewarned. .
In its article on the topic of the same article, Focus magazine reports that Russia allegedly proposed staging an assassination attempt on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The aim was to secure Orbán’s election victory.
The Washington Post reports that a department of the Russian intelligence service supposedly made the proposal in light of the April elections. The trigger was the sharp decline in public support for incumbent Orbán.
The Prime Minister maintains friendly relations with the Kremlin and is criticized both nationally and internationally for this. On Thursday, despite massive pressure in the European Council, Orbán again refused to authorize the disbursement of the 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine.
According to the Washington Post, officials from the SVR intelligence service believed that drastic measures might be necessary to help Orbán win the election. They reportedly described the strategy as a “game changer.”
An assassination attempt would shift the perception of Orban’s campaign “into an emotional realm, where national security and the stability and defense of the political system become the central issues,” the newspaper quoted from an internal SVR report.
“Panic is increasingly spreading within the ruling party, and I believe they may take some rash steps to stay in power,” Andras Telkes, a former deputy head of the Hungarian intelligence service, told the Washington Post. “The Russians will do anything to keep Orban in power. They see Hungary as part of their sphere of influence.”
The Russian embassy responded that it does not interfere in other countries’ elections. It declined to comment further.🤣🤣🤣
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) suggested staging an assassination attempt on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to improve his result in parliamentary elections in April.
This was reported by The Washington Post citing European intelligence information.
A division of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service began sounding the alarm last month over a sharp drop in public support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to the publication.
An internal report by Russian operatives obtained by the European intelligence service said it was necessary to implement a strategy that could “fundamentally change the entire paradigm of the election campaign” – to organize an “assassination attempt” on Orban.
“Such an incident would shift the perception of the campaign from the rational sphere of socio-economic issues to an emotional one, where state security, stability and protection of the political system would become key themes,” the report for the main opera unit said But the cited facts underscore how high the stakes are for Russia in the Hungarian election, the publication writes.
Orban’s spokesman Zoltan Kovacs did not respond to a request for comment on the SVR report, Russia’s likely interference in the election or the prime minister’s relationship with Moscow. And Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov claimed that the data about the report was “disinformation.”
In recent weeks, Orban and his Fidesz party have increasingly tried to redirect Hungarians’ attention from economic problems to possible external security threats. These include the cutoff of Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, which Budapest blames on Ukraine, as well as alleged threats from Kiev against the prime minister.
Serbian President Alexander Vucic has said World War III may have already begun, and he believes it will be extremely difficult to prevent a global conflict. “The struggle for oil, gas, minerals, rare metals and other raw materials has been going on for a long time. If you look at World Wars I and II, you will see that both started with regional conflicts. It was only later that larger military and political alliances formed and eventually clashed directly. Today we are witnessing something similar,” he said in an interview with Berliner Zeitung.
Vucic said escalation can probably still be avoided, but he sees no easy way to do so, as “the interests of the major powers are too diverse and significant for anyone to simply back down.” He also expressed the view that wars in Ukraine and the Middle East would almost inevitably lead to new conflicts. Iran’s resistance to the United States, despite heavy losses, according to the Serbian president’s assessment, “sends a signal to other states” by showing that they too can stand up to powers that “seem much stronger on paper.”
With regard to the Ukrainian conflict, Vucic said that its end “is also not in sight.” Russia, in his opinion, is unlikely to win the war, but it is unlikely to lose it, because “a nuclear-armed state cannot be defeated militarily.”
The Serbian president’s statements come amid his recent warnings about growing threats to Serbia itself. On March 14, Vucic said Croatia, Albania and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo were preparing to attack the country. Arguing this claim, he referred to the trilateral declaration on defense cooperation signed in Tirana in March 2025. In the Serbian president’s assessment, Croatia, Albania and Kosovo are waiting for the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Europe and the moment when a larger war breaks out in the Middle East to strike.
Earlier, on March 7, while presenting the national development strategy, Vucic warned of the inevitability of new and more serious military conflicts in the world. In October 2025, he noted that “everyone is preparing for war, and the only question is who belongs to which side.” At the same time, he emphasized that Serbia maintains good relations with NATO, but maintains a policy of military neutrality.
Russian officials remember what happened when Moscow stopped a major war in Afghanistan.
The Kremlin is tightening its control over society and the Internet space, preparing for possible protests after the war against Ukraine ends.
Reuters reports Reuters.
Strengthening control over the Internet
Russia is recording further tightening of restrictions in the digital space.
The authorities are increasing pressure on users and services, which is accompanied by blockades of popular platforms and mobile internet outages in major cities.
“Office workers struggle with blocked internet. Teenagers are constantly forced to change VPNs. Cab drivers are trying to navigate Moscow without online navigation,” the publication notes.
Official explanations for the restrictions
The Kremlin attributes such measures to the refusal of Western IT companies to cooperate with Russian structures.
It is also stated that the communication blackouts allegedly prevent Ukrainian drones from striking objects in the rear.
Expanding the powers of law enforcers
At the same time, new laws are adopted that strengthen the influence of intelligence services.
In particular, mobile operators are obliged to disconnect subscribers at the request of the FSB, and the agency itself is given the right to form a network of its own detention centers.
Preparing for possible protests
The diplomats said such moves are part of a broader strategy to keep control of the population amid a protracted war.
Sources indicate that the Kremlin fears a decline in support for the government and is preparing for likely outbursts of discontent.
One of the interlocutors noted that resources have already been formed to launch a “major crackdown” on the Internet.
Lessons from the past and external examples
“Russian leaders and security services remember 1991, and they remember what happened to Russia and what happened to them when Moscow stopped the big war in Afghanistan: the country collapsed, the security services split – it was a disaster,” said Russian investigative journalist and security services expert Andrey Soldatov.
In his opinion, the authorities are seeking to avoid such a scenario both if the war ends and if it drags on.
Russia is also studying and implementing control practices used in China and Iran, according to sources.
The Ukrainian delegation has arrived in Miami to hold bilateral talks with the US side. According to “Ukrinform”.
The Ukrainian negotiating team is already in Miami, where meetings with the U.S. side are scheduled. The delegation includes key government officials, including the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov. Also participating in the talks are the head of the Presidential Office Kirill Budanov, the first deputy head of the OP Sergey Kislitsa and the head of the parliamentary faction “Servant of the People” David Arahamiya. On the United States side, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, will take part in the dialog.
Representatives of the Russian Federation do not take part in this meeting.
The parties will hold bilateral consultations to discuss topical issues of interaction. The meeting takes place against the background of an active political dialog between Kiev and Washington.