“Hungarians have made their choice. We respect this choice. We look forward to continuing our practical contacts with Hungary’s new leadership,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. “What actions Hungary’s new leadership will take – we will probably have to be patient and see how things develop.” During Mr Orban’s 16 years in power, he repeatedly delayed decisions on aid to Ukraine, using Hungary’s veto and imposing EU sanctions on Russia. However, after a landslide vote he conceded defeat to centre-right, pro-EU challenger Peter Magyar.
Peskov said, “Once again, we are interested in building good relations with Hungary, as well as with all European countries. (…) Unfortunately, we cannot talk about reciprocity from European countries yet, but Russia is open to dialogue.”
Other pro-Kremlin officials, however, adopted a much less measured tone, taking the opportunity to criticize Russia’s adversaries in Europe. Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin’s envoy to US-led talks to end the war in Ukraine, said Mr Orban’s defeat would “accelerate the collapse of the European Union.”
“Let’s check in four months if I’m right,” said Dmitriev, who also serves as CEO of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund. x.
This has happened when Ukraine has once again been devastated overnight by Russia’s new attack. Starting on the evening of 13 April, the Russian military attacked Ukraine with four Kh-59/69 air-to-surface missiles and 129 drones. One missile and 114 drones were destroyed or jammed, although few strikes were recorded.
The missiles were launched from temporarily occupied Donetsk Oblast, while the drones came from the Russian cities of Kursk, Oryol, Bryansk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk, as well as Cape Chuda of occupied Crimea and parts of Hvorysk and Donetsk Oblasts.
Meanwhile, a civilian Panama-flagged ship and port infrastructure were damaged in the Russian attack on the city of Izmail in Odessa Oblast, according to Deputy Prime Minister of Restoration Oleksiy Kuleba.
He said: “Russia attacked maritime infrastructure in Izmail last night using drones. Several attacks were recorded on the port area (…) Some infrastructure facilities and equipment were damaged, as well as a ship sailing under the flag of Panama. One attack caused a fire which was immediately extinguished.”
