The Russian information campaign has intensified disinformation against Ukraine amid the Hungary–Slovakia dispute over the Druzhba pipeline. According to experts, as of March 5, nearly 700 manipulative publications on this topic have been recorded.
Analysts estimate that about 120 resources that systematically spread disinformation published about 7,250 materials mentioning Ukraine on Thursday. This nearly doubled the volume of content from legitimate media (around 6,000 publications across more than 1,000 media outlets). The takeaway is this: over 55% of materials in a foreign language are posted on platforms involved in information interference and information operations by the Russian Federation.
Analysts documented coordination in the dissemination of almost 700 manipulative publications aimed at escalating the conflict around the Druzhba pipeline and intensifying political confrontation between the governments of Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia.
Reports indicate that Russian outlets used anti-Ukrainian statements by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to publicize support for the governments of Hungary and Slovakia, whose decisions could harm Ukraine, in order to amplify the narrative of an ‘EU split’ and the message of ‘loss of’ support from the European Union.
Statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are used by propagandists to shape the narrative of ‘Ukraine as a threat’ and Kyiv’s alleged pursuit of ‘escalation’ and ‘Ukrainian interference’ in Hungarian elections.
Russian outlets publish materials in which Ukrainian citizens of Hungarian descent who are prisoners are portrayed as an ‘act of humanity’ by the Kremlin and as grounds for ‘illegal mobilization of Hungarians’ in Ukraine.
Additionally, there is growing influence by the Russian Federation on Hungary’s information field aimed at spreading anti-Ukrainian sentiments among the population.
Among additional focal points are mentions of the detention of Ukrainian cash-in-transit couriers, currency and gold operations in Budapest, which Kyiv regards as hostage-taking and the theft of funds amid mutual restrictions.
The materials also mention discussions about the Druzhba pipeline: Orbán threatened to halt transit of goods important for Ukraine, and EU leaders António Costa and Volodymyr Zelensky have assessed potential timelines for repairing the pipeline. Hungary stated that it could suspend electricity and gas exports if Kyiv does not resume supplies of Russian oil via ‘Druzhba’.
In the night leading up to March 6, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybida stated that in Budapest the Hungarian authorities took seven Ukrainian citizens – Oschadbank employees – and abducted the money they were transporting between Austria and Ukraine while carrying out servicing of interstate banking operations.