Russians Working Tightly With Victor Orban To Swing Upcoming Election
A Russian political consultancy backed by the Kremlin has implementing a plan to swing Hungary’s upcoming election by promoting Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and attacking his main rival online, according to documents reviewed by the Financial Times. The plan was prepared by the Social Design Agency, a media firm that Western governments sanctioned in 2024 for running large-scale online influence campaigns. The strategy outlines a coordinated effort to shape narratives on Hungarian social media in ways favorable to Orbán’s ruling Fidesz ahead of the country’s parliamentary election.
The plan centers on portraying Orbán as a decisive leader capable of defending Hungary’s sovereignty and maintaining relationships with powerful international partners. At the same time, it proposes undermining his primary challenger, Péter Magyar, who has recently emerged as the most serious political threat to Orbán’s long rule.
According to the document, the campaign would present Magyar as overly dependent on Brussels and lacking strong international backing. The messaging also suggests launching what the proposal calls “information attacks” designed to highlight divisions within the opposition and depict the Tisza Party as inexperienced and internally conflicted.
Rather than openly linking the effort to Russia, the strategy reportedly emphasizes subtlety. Content such as memes, short videos, infographics, and political commentary would be designed in Russia but distributed through Hungarian social media figures to give the appearance of a domestic conversation.
The plan also indicates that Russian strategists studied Hungarian political debates, media coverage, and policy discussions in order to tailor messaging to local audiences. Around 50 pro-government figures and roughly 30 opposition voices were identified as potential channels for amplifying content or shaping narratives online.
Magyar has responded sharply to reports of Russian involvement. After an investigative report revealed that several officers connected to the GRU had recently been assigned to the Russian embassy in Budapest, he called for their expulsion and echoed a historic slogan from Hungary’s 1956 uprising against Soviet control: “Russians, go home.”
Observers say the alleged campaign reflects a broader pattern of information operations associated with senior Kremlin official Sergei Kirienko. Kirienko has overseen political messaging strategies and influence campaigns in multiple countries in recent years.
Another element of the plan reportedly involves highlighting Orbán’s relationship with Donald Trump, portraying Hungary’s leadership as closely connected to powerful conservative figures abroad. The messaging also seeks to amplify narratives critical of Ukraine and the European Union—topics that have increasingly appeared in Hungarian political discourse.
Russia has denied any interference. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations as unfounded. The Hungarian government also rejected the claims, calling them politically motivated accusations from opponents.
Nevertheless, analysts say influence operations often aim to shape public debate quietly rather than through overt interference. By promoting narratives aligned with Kremlin interests through local voices, such campaigns can influence political discussions while avoiding direct links to Moscow.
