Russian trolls attack Hungarian elections. “Matryoshka” flooded the Internet with lies

A Russian network of Matryoshka trolls linked to the Kremlin has joined the campaign before the parliamentary elections in Hungary scheduled for April 12, said investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi, quoted by the Hungarian media.

The Hungarian journalist referred to the findings of the Russian opposition website The Insider and the Bot Blocker project, which revealed a coordinated disinformation campaign conducted on social networking sites.

The materials promote related topics, many of which concern Hungary or issues raised in the country's public debate. The purpose of bots, investigators say, is to cause confusion and manipulate public opinion by flooding the information space with misleading or completely fabricated claims.

One of the false materials being spread claims that a Ukrainian refugee was arrested in France after trying to throw a grenade at the Hungarian embassy in Paris. Investigators noted that the message was complete fiction.

Another fake news reported over a thousand attacks by Ukrainian refugees on Hungarian citizens in several European countries. Footage with the Euronews and Human Rights Watch logo presents the story as credible, although no similar investigation has ever been conducted.

Further manipulated recordings falsely suggest that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has insulted Hungarians or that his alleged threats against Hungary have damaged his reputation among European leaders. In some recordings, made-up quotes are attributed to analysts or journalists.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is largely basing his campaign before the April 12 parliamentary elections on protesting against the support provided to Kiev by the EU, which – according to Budapest – is prolonging the war and torpedoing peace efforts undertaken, among others, by by US President Donald Trump.

The Hungarian government also accuses Ukraine of trying to influence the country's internal politics and supporting the allegedly pro-Ukrainian opposition.

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

jbw/zm/