Russian/Ukraine War Discussion Thread IX

**kellyhound** · #**541** ● 04-05-2026, 02:06 PM

Explosives of destructive power have been found near the TurkStream pipeline, which transports russian gas to Hungary. The discovery in Serbia was reported by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić so Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán responded immediately.

Orbán immediately convened his security cabinet. Afterwards, he reported that the TurkStream gas pipeline had become the target of a failed sabotage attempt. The security of our energy is being threatened.

He suggested that Ukraine was behind the explosives and announced that he would send troops to the section of the pipeline closest to Serbia.

Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi warns that Orbán will use the news as a pretext to influence the upcoming Hungarian elections.

In any case, the news from Serbia is being received with great suspicion and is even being called a fake report.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar stated via Facebook that many people have openly suggested in recent weeks that something will happen by accident with the gas pipeline in Serbia around Easter, a week before the elections.

Magyar views the post as a fabrication by russians, serbs, and Orbán. If Viktor Orbán and his propaganda use this provocation for his campaign, it will be an admission that this is a pre-planned fake operation.

Orbán is an open opponent of sanctions against russia and of European support for Ukraine. Orbán and Vučić are both known as pro-russian and both maintain good relations with Vladimir Putin.

During the election campaign, Orbán regularly portrayed his opponents from Tisza as Ukrainian agents.

There is a high probability that he will now further amplify the ties between Ukraine and Tisza.

Vučić was the first to report the news on Sunday, in a post on X in which he said he had warned Orbán.

He did not mention which explosives were involved. Orbán subsequently confirmed, also via X, that he had spoken with Vučić and that he would convene his security cabinet this Sunday afternoon.

The Hungarian elections are being held on April 12, and only a major event or measure could still disrupt them in Orbán’s favor.

The current Prime Minister is doing poorly in the polls. He is reportedly trailing opposition party Tisza by 15 to 20 percentage points.

Orbán and his Fidesz party are in danger of losing absolute power and the premiership for the first time in 16 years.

The discovery of explosives near the gas pipeline would suit the Prime Minister well. He could use the news in his campaign.

The threat of russian gas supplies has long played a role in it. In February, Orbán strengthened the security of energy infrastructure in Hungary. In speeches, he has called the elections a choice between war and peace. According to him, a vote for Tisza is a vote for tanks and war.

Hungary has several established and developing alternatives to the TurkStream pipeline namely the Krk LNG Terminal in Croatia. Hungary has a long-term contract to import liquefied natural gas through this terminal, which provides direct access to global markets beyond russia.

The Romania interconnector which is an existing connection and is being upgraded to increase its bi-directional capacity, allowing for more gas to flow from southern European sources.

Hungary has signed a contract to import 800 million cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan through 2027 via the Southern Gas Corridor, Turkey.

As of early April 2026, Hungary's gas storage levels were at approximately 32% of capacity, which is considered a significant buffer against short-term disruptions.

**kellyhound** · #**542** ● 04-06-2026, 09:29 AM

A new report by the Digital News Association (DNA) has revealed that the Russian government trained more than 1,000 content creators, journalists, and influencers to disseminate disinformation in Latin American countries.

According to investigative journalist Jeffrey Scott Shapiro, coordinator of the organization’s Russian Propaganda Alert, these individuals were trained by the Russian state outlet RT en Español.

They operate in countries including Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

The report states that this network is supplemented by around 200 Hispanic content creators based in Russia itself, whose role is to produce and distribute material targeted at Latin American audiences.

Shapiro highlighted that the Russian-linked digital structure has significant reach on social media.

Accounts associated with RT en Español and Radio Sputnik have amassed more than 18 million followers on Facebook and over 6 million on YouTube.

The investigation also identified at least 16 fake websites designed to imitate legitimate news outlets in order to amplify the spread of content.

The study employed artificial intelligence tools to monitor Spanish-language content with characteristics linked to Russian state-sponsored media.

Experts note that Russia’s strategy involves tailoring narratives to each country’s specific political context.

“They adjust to the ideology of governments to sow divisions,” said Gelet Martínez, founder of ADN Cuba and ADN América.

According to Martínez, the main goal of these operations is “to polarize societies, generate distrust in institutions, and fragment communities.”