Hungary's general election chaos before the vote, Serbia's military responds to Orban: We won't blame Ukraine

Ask AI · Why is Serbia in a rush to clarify that it is not trying to blame Ukraine?

【By / Observer Network (Guancha) Xiong Chaoran】 

On April 12 local time, Hungary is about to hold a parliamentary election once every four years. But this election is clearly no longer just a routine matter for this Central European country. 

On April 5 local time—just one week before the election—explosive materials were reportedly found near the “Turkish Stream” natural gas pipeline connecting Serbia and Hungary, further tightening an already tense electoral situation. In response, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has hinted that Ukraine was involved in planning the sabotage operation. 

Later that evening, the senior leadership of the Serbian military held a special press conference to clear up outside speculation about Ukraine. 

According to Serbian media outlet Danas, Duro Jovanic, head of the Military Security Administration of Serbia’s Ministry of Defense, said that the claim that “Serbia blames Ukraine” is not true. 

“There is some false information claiming that the Serbian military would act on behalf of some third party, and by discovering explosives manufactured in Ukraine, it would accuse Ukraine of planning the sabotage operation. This is not true.” He said that the items involved included “explosives that were specially packaged, tightly sealed, and equipped with detonators.” “The manufacturer of the explosives is not necessarily the one who ordered or specifically carried out the action,” he added, “and the markings on the explosives show that the item was manufactured in the United States.” 

On April 6 local time, the US “Politico” Europe edition interpreted this as Serbia denying the claim that “Ukrainians tried to plot this conspiracy,” and said this statement was a “rebuke” of Orbán’s earlier remarks. 

 	Serbia’s Military Security Administration chief holds a press conference  

After the current incident, the situation has become even more bizarre and unpredictable. In Hungary, two domestic camps were already launching fierce attacks at each other over the Russia-Ukraine issue, and this new incident has only poured more fuel on the fire. And at a time when Americans are still busy fighting fiercely in the Middle East, they also have the time for this: Vice President Vance will fly to Hungary, directly attend Orbán’s campaign rally, and publicly endorse him. 

**Serbia’s role is complex: it won’t blame Ukraine and it does not get involved in foreign politics**  

On April 5 local time, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced to the public that Serbian law enforcement personnel had found two large explosive devices containing detonators near the “Turkish Stream” natural gas pipeline connecting Serbia and Hungary. 

He pointed out that if the explosives were detonated, it would cut off the gas pipeline, meaning Hungary and the northern part of Serbia would have no natural gas. He also emphasized that Serbia would severely punish anyone who believes they can threaten the country’s critical infrastructure. He did not disclose the possible motive behind the alleged act, but said that there are some “leads” that cannot yet be revealed. 

Later that day, after convening an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán confirmed that the Serbian side had uncovered a “sabotage operation” in the Vojvodina region in the north of the country. Although he did not formally bring charges, he implied that the matter is related to Ukraine, because “for many years Ukraine has been committed to severing Europe’s energy connections with Russia and poses a direct threat to Hungary.” 

On April 6 local time, Orbán also went to inspect the “Turkish Stream” natural gas pipeline located at the Hungary-Serbia border. 

 	On April 6 local time, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán inspects the border area. Image via Orbán’s Facebook    

Regarding Orbán’s insinuating accusations, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs naturally strongly denied and refuted them. The Ukrainian side also insisted: “This is very likely a Russian ‘false flag’ operation, intended to serve as part of Russia’s deep interference in Hungary’s election.” 

On the Russian side, Kremlin spokesperson Peskov said that there are currently no “reliable evidence” regarding who is responsible for the incident. However, he still suggested that “Ukraine may be involved,” and cited earlier attacks on energy infrastructure that the Russian side had identified as “the basis.” 

As for Serbia, after President Vucic announced that explosive devices had been found, the head of the Serbian Military Security Administration, Jovanic, held a rare, dedicated press conference on the evening of the 5th. 

In the narratives of some Western media, President Vucic is considered a “close ally” of Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán. But clearly, Serbia’s role and stance are far more complicated than simply “labeling” it. Danas reported that Jovanic himself had been Vucic’s aide when Vucic served as defense minister, and afterward he was rapidly promoted; the two have a very close relationship. 

“There is some false information claiming that the Serbian military would act on behalf of some third party, and by discovering explosives manufactured in Ukraine, would accuse Ukraine of planning the sabotage operation. That’s not true. Based on the markings on the explosives, it can be determined without a doubt that the manufacturer is from the United States,” Jovanic said. “So now, would anyone think that the United States could benefit from this situation at this very moment?” He said that the Serbian side has collected relevant evidence, and that the analysis work is ongoing; more new information will be released later. 

He also specifically mentioned that the Serbian armed forces would not interfere in domestic political processes, nor in foreign political processes. 

 	“Turkish Stream” natural gas pipeline Europe News map graphic    

He further revealed that, for months, the Serbian Military Security Administration had been issuing warnings to political leadership, saying that attacks on gas infrastructure could indeed occur, but those warnings were met with “doubt, denial, and objections.” 

Jovanic said that a “militarily trained immigrant” is suspected to be behind the sabotage operation. However, this claim was also called into question by the Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCSP). Srdjan Cvijic of the think tank said: “Our authorities dare not publicly accuse Ukraine, so they fabricate some so-called ‘immigrant’ scapegoats out of thin air—and that conveniently fits Orbán’s anti-immigration rhetoric.” 

**Poland also jumped into the ‘mess,’ while Hungary’s opposition goes after Orbán**  

Just as the various accounts had already stirred the current situation into “a big mess,” Poland also stepped in. According to a report by Turkey’s Anadolu Agency on April 6 local time, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski raised questions about Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s decision to convene an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council. 

He wrote on the social media platform X that this timing is “suspiciously coincidental.” He noted that the incident occurred less than a week before Hungary’s parliamentary election on April 12, and in this election, the ruling party led by Orbán, Fidesz, is facing its most severe challenge in years. 

Reports said that after several recent clashes between the Polish and Hungarian governments over Hungary’s close ties with Russia, Sikorski’s remarks echoed concerns that are widely held in Warsaw—namely that on the eve of the April 12 voting day, this incident could politically benefit Orbán. 

Last week, Polish Prime Minister Tusk accused Orbán’s government of being politically dependent on Russia. Tusk claimed that the Hungarian government has “in practice already left the European Union,” and described its relationship with Moscow as “disgusting.” 

Anadolu Agency said that these remarks highlight the growing divergence between Warsaw and Budapest since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Even though Poland has become one of Ukraine’s most steadfast supporters, Hungary has always maintained close ties with Russia and has repeatedly blocked or delayed measures taken by the EU to support Ukraine. 

Previously, multiple foreign media outlets mentioned that, at the time this explosive incident occurred, Orbán was working to maintain his more than 16-year hold on power, while his party was trailing the opposition Tisza Party in opinion polls. 

 	On March 7, 2026, in Debrecen, Hungary, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán attends a campaign rally and calls for breaking Ukraine’s oil blockade targeting Hungary. IC Photo    

According to the latest available polling data, the leader of the Tisza Party, the 44-year-old Peter Magyar (Peter Magyar), is currently leading Orbán by 9 percentage points. However, the polling organizations that highlight his advantage are often linked to the opposition or funded by the European Union. Many senior EU officials privately still anticipate that Orbán is “very likely” to be re-elected. 

Hungary’s opposition leader Magyar also questioned the timing of this incident. He said he had received a warning earlier—namely that, ahead of the general election, “something may happen” near Serbia’s gas pipeline. 

He accused Orbán of trying to create panic and implied that this incident might be a carefully planned “false flag” operation—though in reality it is only a “shoddy stunt” orchestrated by Orbán to boost his sluggish support in the polls. 

Meanwhile, during the inspection in the border area, Orbán faced the cameras and categorically rejected the accusation. He said: “This incident has nothing to do with the election. It is about Hungary’s energy security, and we should not mix campaign activities with governing the country.” 

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, multiple routes supplying natural gas from Russia to Europe have been disrupted. The “Turkish Stream” pipeline transiting through Turkey is currently one of the few remaining routes for Russian gas to Europe. The pipeline runs through the Balkans, delivering Russian natural gas to Central and Eastern Europe. 

For Hungary, the “Turkish Stream” pipeline is its most important source of natural gas. Hungary has said that in 2024, Hungary received a record 7.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Russia through “Turkish Stream.” Some scholars have analyzed that, by relying on the “Turkish Stream” pipeline, Hungary could even become a gas distribution hub for Central and Eastern Europe. 

Agence France-Presse reports that Serbia is an EU candidate country and has long been heavily dependent on Russian natural gas. The data show that it imports about 6 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, at a price roughly half of the market price. 

Now, the identity of the suspects involved in this incident has yet to be determined, while Hungary’s general election has turned into a multi-party geopolitical chess match—Russia and Europe accuse each other of interfering in the election; and US President Trump has recently spoken publicly to show support for Orbán. While Americans are still busy fighting in the Middle East, Vice President Vance will join Orbán at a campaign rally on Tuesday local time. 

**This article is an exclusive piece by Observer Network (Guancha). Without authorization, it may not be republished.**