Putin’s henchmen now deeply ingrained at highest level of Slovakian government
A new investigation by VSquare has revealed how Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, and its political proxies in Moscow are deepening their influence in Slovakia—using relationships with pro-Russian politicians, disinformation tactics, and backchannel diplomacy to erode Western unity from within the EU.
At the center of the story is Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian State Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee and leader of the Kremlin-loyal Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR). Slutsky, long known as a mouthpiece for Russian foreign policy objectives, has emerged as a key intermediary between Moscow and far-right or anti-Western political forces across Europe. His current target appears to be Slovakia.
In April 2024, Ľuboš Blaha, the vice-chairman of Slovakia’s SMER party and deputy speaker of the National Council, traveled to Moscow for a publicized visit with Slutsky. Their meeting, along with others involving Russian intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin and Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, signaled more than symbolic alignment. Outside Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service headquarters, Blaha declared, “Slovaks and Russians are brothers,” and described NATO as an aggressive force at fault for the war in Ukraine.
Blaha’s language mirrored standard Kremlin narratives, but his platform gave them an unusual level of legitimacy within a European Union member state. In Moscow, he posed for photos, praised Russian strength, and publicly called for “Slovak-Russian friendship,” even as Russian forces continued their invasion of Ukraine and targeted civilian infrastructure.
But it is not only public posturing that alarms observers. The VSquare report points to deeper concerns within the Slovak political system. One of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s key advisors, David Lindtner, is reportedly acting as an informal liaison between senior Slovak officials and Moscow-aligned actors. Lindtner, who has no public mandate in foreign affairs, has been described by national security sources as part of a “silent corridor” through which the Kremlin maintains influence over parts of the Slovak state.
Slutsky, a longtime figure in Kremlin diplomacy, has increasingly positioned himself as a bridge to fringe European figures willing to echo Russia’s preferred narratives. From German AfD leaders to French extremists, and now to Slovak officials, his pattern is clear: elevate allies who reject Western consensus and spread disinformation under the guise of diplomacy.
What makes the Slovak case especially dangerous, according to VSquare, is the normalization of these contacts. Unlike past far-right alliances with Moscow that existed outside power structures, SMER and its partners currently govern Slovakia. That means access to state intelligence, foreign policy briefings, and European decision-making channels.
The strategy is subtle but effective: turn EU member states into vectors for Kremlin narratives, and weaponize internal politics to splinter European resolve.
With Blaha amplifying Russian propaganda at home and Fico’s advisors engaging in opaque diplomacy abroad, Slovakia risks becoming a Trojan horse inside the European Union.
The VSquare report ends with a warning—this is not just about Slovakia. It is a case study in how Russian intelligence co-opts democratic institutions using ideology, relationships, and deniable influence. And unless it is confronted with transparency and resolve, it will not stop at Bratislava.
