Serbian authorities have discovered explosives “evil force” planted near an important gas pipeline that transports Russian energy to Hungary, President Aleksandar Vucic has announced, adding that he has informed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban about the matter. This comes after Ukraine essentially cut off Russian oil supplies to Hungary through its territory.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Vucic said “Two large packages of explosives and sticks” they were found in the municipality of Kanjiza, about 10 kilometers from the Hungarian border.
The city of Kanjiza is close to the Balkan Stream gas pipeline – a regional extension of the TurkStream pipeline. The Balkan Stream passes through Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, and currently ends at the Slovakian border. Hungary imports 7.4-7.6 billion cubic meters of gas annually through Serbia.
Vucic said Serbian intelligence agencies “Fortunately, you did a good job” and promised to strengthen energy security in the region. “We will deal mercilessly with anyone who thinks they are endangering the important infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia,” He said.
The president did not assign blame but said he had spoken to Orban about the situation, noting that an explosion would cause gas cuts in Hungary and northern Serbia.
Orban has confirmed the call, saying “investigation is ongoing” and that he “has called an emergency defense council this afternoon.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has suggested that the plotters are looking “to strip Hungary of its independence.”
“They do it in different ways: Politically, by trying to interfere in internal affairs and elections; economically, by forcing it to make decisions under pressure that harm the economy and the welfare of Hungarians, and through energy, by trying to prevent Hungary from getting the best resources at the best prices.”
Hungary and Ukraine have been fighting for months over the supply of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline. In January, Kiev shut down the pipeline, citing Russian drone strikes on infrastructure. Moscow has dismissed the claims; Hungary and Slovakia accused Kiev of lying and using the alleged strike as reasons for political fraud.
Ukraine has tried several times to attack TurkStream’s infrastructure. Russia has accused Ukrainian saboteurs of blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline in 2022, suggesting the attack was backed by Western intelligence services.
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