European sources say GRU operatives sent to Budapest to help Orbán ahead of April vote
Mar 6th 2026
Multiple European intelligence sources tell VSquare that a GRU-linked team overseen by Sergei Kiriyenko has arrived in Budapest to support Viktor Orbán’s campaign, using tactics similar to Russia’s Moldova operation.
- Multiple European national security sources told VSquare that Moscow dispatched a team to Budapest to influence Hungary’s April 2026 parliamentary elections.
- The operation is reportedly overseen by Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin’s first deputy chief of staff and architect of Russia’s foreign political influence efforts.
- Western intelligence agencies say a three-person GRU-linked team arrived weeks ago and may be embedded in the Russian Embassy with diplomatic or service passports.
- The Kremlin is said to be applying the same playbook used in Moldova, which included troll farms, social media manipulation, and vote-buying networks.
- EU and NATO agencies were briefed and the United States shared related intelligence in February, according to sources.