Serbia Foils Plot to Bomb Russia-Hungary Gas Pipeline – Vucic

(SeaPRwire) –   Explosives were found near the border after Ukraine halted oil flows to Hungary

Serbian officials have uncovered explosives with the potential for “devastating power” placed near a major gas pipeline that carries Russian energy to Hungary, President Aleksandar Vucic has revealed. He added that he has informed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban about the discovery. This development follows Ukraine’s effective shutdown of Russian oil deliveries to Hungary via its territory.

In a statement to reporters on Sunday, Vucic reported that “two large packages of explosives with sticks” were discovered in the municipality of Kanjiza, approximately 10 km from the border with Hungary.

Kanjiza is situated close to the Balkan Stream gas pipeline, which is the regional branch of the TurkStream pipeline. The Balkan Stream route passes through Türkiye, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary, currently terminating at the border with Slovakia. Hungary receives an annual gas supply of 7.4-7.6 billion cubic meters through Serbia.

Vucic stated that Serbian intelligence services “fortunately, did a good job” and pledged to enhance security measures for energy infrastructure in the region. “We will deal mercilessly with anyone who thinks they are endangering the vital infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia,” he declared.

The president refrained from attributing blame but confirmed he discussed the incident with Orban, pointing out that a detonation would have resulted in gas supply disruptions for Hungary and northern Serbia.

Orban has verified the phone conversation, stating “the investigation is ongoing” and that he “has called an emergency defense council for this afternoon.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has proposed that the architects of the plot aim “to strip Hungary of its sovereignty.”

“They are doing this in various 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 well-being of Hungarians, and through energy, by trying to prevent Hungary from obtaining quality resources at reasonable prices.”

Hungary and Ukraine have been in a dispute for months regarding the supply of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline. Kiev halted the pipeline’s operation in January, attributing the move to a Russian drone attack on the infrastructure. Moscow has rejected the allegation; Hungary and Slovakia have charged Kiev with dishonesty and using the alleged strike as a pretext for political blackmail.

Ukraine has also made several attempts to target TurkStream infrastructure. Russia has alleged that Ukrainian saboteurs were responsible for the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, implying that Western intelligence agencies supported the attack.