As Magyar Nemzet previously highlighted, Slovak Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok announced during a local public media broadcast on Saturday that authorities had recorded activities that suggest preparations for a potential terrorist attack targeting the country’s critical infrastructure. According to the interior minister,
Slovak intelligence has identified a group conducting reconnaissance near the Druzhba oil pipeline in connection with a possible terrorist attack, not just in Slovakia, but also in Hungary,
– Uj Szo reported.
In recent months, oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline have been in question. Ukrainian authorities reportedly considered shutting it down. However, in September, Hungary’s Mol Group reached an agreement with suppliers and operators of the pipeline, ensuring the continuation of oil shipments. As of September 9, 2024, Mol will assume ownership of oil delivered through the Belarus–Ukraine border.
The Druzhba oil pipeline supplies Russian oil to Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. It stretches over 4,000 kilometers westward from Russia, splitting into northern and southern branches near the Belarusian city of Mazyr. The pipeline’s Belarus segment has an annual transport capacity of 70 million tonnes. Near the Hungarian and Slovak borders in Ukraine, it divides further, with one branch supplying Hungary and the other Slovakia, which also delivers oil to the Czech Republic. Approximately 20 million tonnes of oil pass through the Slovak branch each year.
According to our sources, the Slovak announcement came as little surprise to Hungary's intelligence agencies. Information indicating a potential terrorist threat had already been shared among partner agencies prior to any public statements. Slovakia’s warning, however, had to be taken seriously. Based on the available data, an assessment is underway to determine when, where, and against whom Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Center (TEK), in collaboration with national security services, might implement preventive measures.
– Zoltan Sas, the chairman of parliament's National Security Committee, emphasized that combating potential terrorism overrides political differences, not only in Europe but globally. He noted that Slovakia, in this case, lacks any conflicting political interests. Mr. Sas explained that intelligence-sharing likely occurred before Slovakia’s official announcement and that Hungary’s agencies must now determine whether there is evidence of individuals planning hostile actions within Hungary. Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Center, in cooperation with the intelligence services, could then thwart such plans during their preparatory phase.
Mr. Sas also cautioned about the presence of many foreign nationals in Hungary, noting that migration and terrorism often go hand in hand worldwide. He stressed that such threats are not limited to illegal migrants, as it is a long-standing practice to embed spies and agents among refugees for strategic purposes.
He emphasized that
the Druzhba oil pipeline is classified as a high-priority facility. This means it's afforded enhanced protection, so we can trust that it will be successfully defended.
The threat of terrorism is not just disinformation, it must be taken seriously, the former deputy director of operations for military and civilian counterintelligence, Jozsef Horvath, underscored. According to Mr. Horvath, now the director of the Sovereignty Protection Research Institute, the Slovak announcement likely followed intelligence consultations and was based on concrete data. In cases like this, we must identify and determine who benefits from such acts of terrorism, and who possesses the means to carry them out.
Mr. Horvath pointed out that it's currently possible to enter Hungary in large numbers from Ukraine and to travel onward from there, a situation that intelligence services could also exploit. The security policy expert also noted that there may be several interested parties aiming to draw others into the Russia-Ukraine war before January 20, the date of Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President.
Suspects identified re Nord Stream Incident
The investigation into the bombing of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines two years ago has made progress, with two suspects now identified, which is considered an unexpected success, German Chief Prosecutor Jens Rommel stated, in an interview with Der Spiegel. He said that while additional perpetrators and motives remain unclear, questions regarding a potential mastermind behind the attack also need answers. According to Hungary's state news agency (MTI), the chief prosecutor emphasized that the investigation was launched following damage to pipelines critical to Germany’s gas supply, inflicting a significant blow to the country’s energy infrastructure.
The two pipelines, which transported Russian natural gas to Germany, were damaged by several explosions on September 26, 2022, near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Shortly after the explosions, leaks were detected at four locations. Speculation regarding the sabotage’s origins abounds, although no definitive conclusions have been drawn. In August, German prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian national in connection with the case.
Cover photo: The Druzhba oil pipeline at Szazhalombatta, Hungary (Photo: Nepszabadsag)
