Hungary alleges plot to blow up gas pipeline ahead of election

The incident comes a week before the polls, and follow warnings of a potential operations staged to influence voters.

Serbia has said it found 'explosives of devastating power' near a pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Hungary and beyond, sparking claims by Hungary’s leading opposition candidate of a possible 'false flag' operation aimed at influencing the country’s elections. On Sunday, Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, said he had been informed by Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, of the discovery near an extension of the TurkStream pipeline, which transports Russian gas through the Balkans to central and eastern Europe.

The Serbian authorities have discovered explosives of 'devastating power' planted near a key gas pipeline transporting Russian energy to Hungary, President Aleksandar Vucic has announced, adding that he has briefed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the matter. This comes after Ukraine essentially shut down Russian oil supplies to Hungary through its territory. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Vucic said 'two large packages of explosives with sticks' were found in the municipality of Kanjiza, around 10 km from the Hungarian border.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has suggested explosives found near a pipeline supplying Russian gas to Hungary and Serbia was 'an act of sabotage'. Two backpacks with 'large packages of explosives' were left a few hundred metres from the Balkan Stream pipeline, according to Serbia's president Aleksandar Vucic. It's an extension of the Turk Stream pipeline that carries gas from Russia under the Black Sea to Turkey. Mr Vucic said millions could have been cut off if the explosives had detonated.

Hungary's ruling party alleges a gas pipeline bomb plot a week before elections, stoking fears of potential state-orchestrated disruptions designed to manipulate voter sentiment. Critics worry the claim could be exploited to silence dissent.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban convened an emergency defense council after explosives were found near a pipeline supplying Russian gas to Hungary. He labeled the incident an 'act of sabotage' and suggested Ukraine's involvement without presenting evidence.

El presidente serbio, Aleksandar Vucic, denunció el hallazgo de explosivos cerca del gasoducto Balkan Stream en el norte de Serbia, una vía clave para el suministro de gas ruso a Serbia y Hungría. El primer ministro húngaro, Viktor Orbán, en plena campaña electoral y con sondeos en contra, convocó una reunión urgente del Consejo de Defensa y ordenó reforzar la seguridad del tramo húngaro. Sin pruebas, señaló a Ucrania como responsable, lo que fue rechazado rotundamente por Kiev, que consideró el incidente como una posible operación rusa de falsa bandera.

Péter Magyar, leader of Hungary's opposition Tisza party, views the alleged sabotage of a gas pipeline in Serbia as a staged operation intended to disrupt Hungary's elections. He suggests that Orbán may be preparing to 'cross a new line' to influence the electoral outcome.