Russian Disinformation Campaign Targets Hungarian Opposition Leader with Fake Euronews Story

A sophisticated Russian disinformation operation has been uncovered, spreading fabricated content that falsely claims Hungary’s opposition leader Péter Magyar insulted former U.S. President Donald Trump. The operation involved a counterfeit Euronews website and falsified video reports carrying the network’s branding.

The fraudulent article, which has since been removed, alleged that Magyar delivered harsh criticism of Trump at a campaign rally, calling him a “senile grandpa” and threatening to reverse “key agreements” with the United States if elected in Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary elections on April 12. These claims are entirely fabricated, and the website hosting them had no connection to the legitimate Euronews media organization.

Euronews’ fact-checking team, The Cube, discovered that video reports repeating these false claims have been circulating on social media since Monday evening, with some garnering thousands of views. Analysis revealed that these videos were posted by various accounts with similar captions in quick succession, suggesting a coordinated disinformation campaign. The accounts posting the clips were largely anonymous, with location data indicating they were based in the United States and Africa.

Researchers at Antibot for Navalny, a collective specializing in tracking Russian disinformation networks, have attributed this campaign to Storm-1516, a well-known Russian operation that systematically spreads false information online to advance the Russian government’s interests. The group has a history of interfering in electoral processes, having previously targeted Democratic Party candidates in the 2024 U.S. presidential election and spread misinformation during Germany’s February 2025 elections.

The German government took diplomatic action against similar interference last December, when Foreign Minister summoned the Russian ambassador over allegations of repeated hybrid operations in Germany, including Storm-1516’s active role in spreading disinformation during the country’s general elections. At that time, the campaign primarily targeted Chancellor candidate for the Greens, Robert Habeck, and current German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

This latest disinformation effort comes at a critical time in Hungarian politics. The upcoming parliamentary elections will pit Magyar’s Tisza Party against current Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in what has become an increasingly hostile campaign environment. Recent polls suggest Magyar’s party has gained significant momentum, potentially posing a serious challenge to Orbán’s long-standing leadership.

Magyar has already raised concerns about election integrity, accusing Hungary’s secret service of targeting his party’s campaign systems just weeks before the vote. Meanwhile, Orbán faces his own international controversy following a Washington Post investigation that revealed Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó regularly leaked sensitive information from high-level European Union meetings to Moscow.

The timing of this disinformation campaign aligns with broader geopolitical tensions, as Orbán has maintained notably close ties with the Kremlin despite widespread resistance from other European leaders. Hungary under Orbán has repeatedly used its veto power to block critical decisions regarding European aid to Ukraine, frustrating EU efforts to present a unified front against Russian aggression.

This incident highlights the evolving nature of international disinformation campaigns, particularly those targeting democratic processes. As Hungary approaches its election day, the spread of such fabricated content serves as a reminder of the increasing sophistication of foreign influence operations and the challenges they pose to electoral integrity across Europe and beyond.