The Discovery and Its Immediate Impact
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Sunday that two rucksacks containing explosives and detonators sat near the Balkan Stream pipeline in the Kanjiza district, about 20 kilometers from where the pipeline enters Hungary. The explosives held "devastating power," as Vucic stated in an Instagram post, prompting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to call an emergency meeting of the National Defence Council. This incident disrupts a pipeline that delivers 5 to 8 billion cubic meters of Russian gas annually to Hungary, potentially affecting heating and fuel prices for households in the region.
Statements from Leaders
Vucic informed Orban of the find during a phone call, describing how Serbian army units located the devices near the village of Tresnjevac. Orban, in response, declared the situation an "act of sabotage prepared," according to his comments after the meeting, and highlighted efforts to investigate further. Both leaders, who maintain close ties, emphasized the ongoing probe without immediately releasing photos or more details.
Opposition and International Reactions
Opposition leader Peter Magyar accused Orban of "panic-mongering" with help from "Russian advisers," as he claimed in a public statement, linking the discovery to efforts to sway the April 12 election. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi denied any involvement, asserting in a post that "Ukraine has nothing to do with this" and labeling it a likely Russian operation. Hungarian security expert Andras Racz had warned on April 2 about a possible "fake attack" on the pipeline, predicting Ukrainian blame to benefit Orban's campaign.
The sources also report that former senior Hungarian counter-intelligence officer Peter Buda told the BBC, “We had some solid preliminary information about this operation, including details about the place and possible timing.”
Ties to the Election Campaign
Orban's Fidesz party, trailing in polls, has centered its strategy on criticizing Ukraine, with Orban telling rallies that cheap Russian fuel keeps heating costs low in Hungary. He alleged a "Kyiv-Brussels-Berlin axis" aims to impose a "puppet" prime minister like Magyar, who leads the Tisza party. Former Hungarian counter-intelligence officer Peter Buda noted in an interview that such an operation would help Orban by shifting public opinion, based on preliminary information his sources provided.
Potential Consequences for Energy and Security
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto pointed to recent events, including drone attacks on the TurkStream pipeline and an oil blockade affecting the Druzhba line, as evidence of threats to energy imports.
The sources also report that the drone attacks involved dozens of drones targeting the TurkStream pipeline while it was on Russian territory.
The sources also report that the explosives were found by Serbian army units near the village of Tresnjevac, which is about 20 kilometers from where the TurkStream pipeline crosses into Hungary.