The Kremlin has launched a disinformation campaign aimed at keeping Viktor Orban in power - FT

The Kremlin has initiated a disinformation campaign to support the re-election of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban next month, according to sources cited by the Financial Times.

This campaign, coordinated by the Social Design agency, aims to flood social media with messages that present Orban as a leader capable of maintaining Hungary's sovereignty, in contrast to his rival, Peter Magyar, described as a "puppet of Brussels."

The plan includes informational attacks against Magyar, who is leading in the polls. Additionally, Orban has intensified anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and refused an EU loan for Kiev, while the disinformation campaign strives to appear indigenous, using local influencers.

The United States, the United Kingdom, and several other Western countries have added the Russian agency and its leadership to their sanctions lists in 2024 for conducting a large online campaign known as Doppelgänger, which published fake news and AI-generated deepfakes to stir up

anti-Ukrainian sentiments.

Although the Russian agency has not directly contacted the Hungarian government, sources suggest that Orban is seen as a key partner of Donald Trump.

The Russian ambassador in Budapest denied any interference in elections, and the Hungarian government dismissed the accusations as false. The campaign comes amid rising tensions between Hungary and Ukraine, with Orban attacking Ukrainian and European leaders.

According to investigations conducted by the Vsquare project, Putin allegedly instructed to intervene in the parliamentary elections in Hungary, aiming to ensure the victory of the current Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The operation in Hungary would include sending experts in social media manipulation to the Russian Embassy in Budapest.

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