Russia denies sending intelligence agents to Budapest to influence Hungarian elections

The Russian Embassy in Budapest has publicly rejected allegations that Russian intelligence operatives recently arrived in Hungary to influence the country’s upcoming elections. The denial came in an unusual Facebook post responding to a journalist’s inquiry about reports of a covert operation linked to Russian political strategist Sergei Kiriyenko.

Embassy rejects claims of election interference

The statement was published by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Hungary after RTL reporter Fruzsina Molnár asked whether a three-member Russian delegation had been working in Budapest under the leadership of Sergei Kiriyenko or Vadim Titov.

Molnár’s questions were reportedly prompted by information published by investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi in the newsletter of VSquare (which we also covered HERE). According to Panyi, three individuals connected to the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU, arrived in Budapest several weeks ago. Their alleged mission would be to influence the Hungarian election campaign in a manner similar to operations reportedly carried out in Moldova.

In its response, the embassy dismissed the claims as speculation and misinformation.

“No Russian delegation led by Sergei Kiriyenko or Vadim Titov is working at the embassy,” the statement said, adding that Panyi’s article contained “unchecked and openly false information”.

Journalist stands by report, provides additional details

Panyi later responded to the embassy’s statement, maintaining that his reporting was based on multiple independent sources. In his post, Panyi provided further details and defended his reporting after being criticised by the Russian Embassy.

According to the journalist, both Sergei Kiriyenko and Vadim Titov would direct the alleged operation from Russia, while the team sent to Budapest would handle tasks that require physical presence. He reiterated that most influence activities are likely carried out online from Russian territory.

Panyi also stated that the three alleged GRU operatives arrived in Budapest at the end of January, adding that the United States shared intelligence about the matter with partners on 11 February. According to him, several European intelligence services are also closely monitoring the operation.

The investigative journalist emphasised that he has been reporting on Russian influence in Hungary for more than a decade and said the information in his article was based on multiple independent sources. He also noted his involvement in the international “Kremlin Leaks” project in 2024, which analysed leaked documents from the Russian presidential administration, including materials linked to Kiriyenko’s department.

According to Panyi, the documents revealed the existence of an extensive network of so-called autonomous non-profit organisations used by the Kremlin to produce online propaganda and cultivate influencers under Kiriyenko’s supervision.

Embassy criticises opposition politician

The embassy’s statement also criticised Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, who recently raised similar concerns on social media.

Magyar wrote that, based on information from multiple sources, members of the GRU had already been present in Budapest for weeks with the aim of influencing Hungary’s election results. He compared the alleged situation to previous Russian influence activities in Moldova.

The Russian Embassy questioned Magyar’s motives, suggesting that he might be raising the issue because his political support was not strong enough.

“Perhaps he should choose better advisers,” the embassy’s press service wrote.

Online reaction raises further questions

The embassy’s public response triggered a wave of sceptical reactions on social media.

Several commenters questioned why the statement mentioned Magyar at all, given that the original inquiry had come from a journalist.

Some users argued that bringing the opposition politician into the response itself constituted political messaging, while others accused the embassy of indirectly intervening in Hungarian political debates.