In a recent development, Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Russia Today, made a statement on her Telegram channel blaming Ukraine for the attack on Slovak Prime Minister Fico. Simonyan suggested that the war was instigated by Ukrainian neo-Nazis and Putin had no choice but to react in this manner.
A company specializing in tracking disinformation campaigns analyzed over 100 Russian-language pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and found that they were all claiming the attack on Fico was due to his “pro-Russian stance.” Additionally, they stated that Western media outlets were justifying the attack because of Fico’s lack of support for Ukraine.
Military blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk’s Telegram channel with 1.2 million subscribers suggested that a “Ukrainian trace” may emerge in the attack on Fico, with the post garnering over 300,000 views. The official Telegram channel of Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, referred to Fico as a “friend of Russia.”
Kyle Walter, director of research at Logically, anticipates that Russian language channels and disinformation campaigns will use the attempted assassination of Fico to push the narrative that the West supports violence against pro-Russian politicians, further fueling the existing narrative of “Russophobia.”
Dominika Hajdu, policy director at think tank Globsec, noted that most posts linking the assassination to Ukraine were in English, not Slovak, indicating an international target audience rather than Slovaks.
Fico, a controversial figure in Slovakia known for his Russia-friendly stance, was reelected for the third time amidst criticism and opposition. His campaign included calls for the withdrawal of military support for Ukraine and opposition to LGBTQ marriage. Since his reelection, Fico has faced accusations of limiting press freedom and cracking down on civil rights groups.
The return of Fico has divided the country, with liberal voters expressing discontent over his leadership. Fico’s previous term ended in 2018 following mass protests over the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, who were investigating government corruption.
Despite being democratically elected, a significant portion of the population remains unhappy with Fico’s return to power. The political landscape in Slovakia reflects a divide between rural, conservative supporters and urban, liberal voters who align with EU and Western values.
