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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

2/2 Those unwilling to face this truth cling to Russian propaganda, soothing themselves with lies that we’re tougher and nobler than Ukrainians. We’re not.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

1/2 Hungarians who hate Ukrainians do it out of envy and denial. They can’t face that Ukrainians have proven real courage, while we Hungarians only make noise. We can’t even remove Orbán and his clique, unlike the Ukrainians who toppled Yanukovych despite being shot at and losing many lives.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

Thousands filled Budapest’s Kossuth Square in an anti-Orbán protest led by Róbert Puzsér’s *Civil Resistance*. Triggered by raids on activist Péter Juhász, protesters decried corruption and state control. Independent media counted 5-10 k; Fidesz outlets called it “a few hundred.”

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

J.D. Vance's values roughly reflect the consistency of the MAGA movement.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

Just posted it now:

bsky.app/profile/sple...

Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

1/4 Hitler – Mein Kampf (1925):

“The first and most important task of education is to teach the youth to love their own nation and country, and to subordinate everything else to this.”

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

4/4 Franco – Address to the Spanish Youth Organization (1940):

“We must train children from the earliest years to love Spain above all things, to serve her with discipline and sacrifice, and to accept no ideal higher than the greatness of our fatherland.”

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

3/4 Mussolini – Speech to the Chamber of Deputies (1927):

“We educate the young to believe in Fascism, to revere the fatherland, and to prepare themselves for the sacrifices which the nation will require of them.”

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

2/4 Stalin – Speech to the Komsomol (1935):

“Young people must be brought up to love with all their heart the socialist homeland, the Soviet Union, for only then can they become true communists.”

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 3d

1/4 Hitler – Mein Kampf (1925):

“The first and most important task of education is to teach the youth to love their own nation and country, and to subordinate everything else to this.”

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · 4d

Howdy folks, I’m back! I’ll be posting here more often, like it or not.

a man in a suit and tie is laughing with his mouth open

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is laughing with his mouth open

media.tenor.com

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 13

ccl.org.ua/en/russiamus...

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

10/10 Hungary’s strategy showcases how modern disinformation works: using "non-political" labels to sidestep ad rules, amplifying fear-based narratives, and influencing discourse across borders. Europe faces a new wave of election interference.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

9/10 Hungary's foreign election meddling isn’t new. In 2022, a Hungarian bank financed far-right French candidate Marine Le Pen’s campaign with €10.6M. Orbán’s network has also supported allies in Central Europe, like Italy’s Salvini and Austria’s far-right.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

8/10 Beyond Slovakia & Poland, ads ran during local elections in Germany & Italy. These campaigns coincided with rising far-right rhetoric, raising questions about how Hungary targeted specific regions and voter groups.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

7/10 Poland’s 2023 elections also saw Hungary’s influence. Ads targeting migration ran 1.5-2M times, but Poland’s populist Law and Justice party (Orbán's ally) lost. Experts noted Hungary’s role in fueling anti-migrant sentiment across the region.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

6/10 The Slovak elections saw Orbán-aligned Robert Fico’s Smer party win. Ads with anti-migrant themes complemented Fico’s campaign. Critics called Hungary’s involvement “intensive,” with ads rolling out during Slovakia’s campaign blackout period.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

5/10 How did Hungary bypass scrutiny? The ads were labeled "non-political" by Google, avoiding stricter transparency rules. This allowed targeted campaigns based on age, geography, and interests — advantages unavailable to Slovak parties bound by stricter ad rules.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

4/10 The Slovak case: Hungary’s ads appeared 1.6-1.8M times, targeting up to 33% of Slovakia’s population. This happened during a migration crisis and just before elections, aligning with the anti-migrant narrative of Robert Fico’s Smer party, Orbán's ally.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

3/10 In autumn 2023, Hungary’s Cabinet Office ran YouTube ads warning about “illegal migration” in 7 EU countries. These ads, appearing 8.35-9.7M times, coincided with elections in Slovakia, Poland, Germany, and Italy. The propaganda ministry is led by Antal Rogán.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

2/10 Orbán's gov publicly claims "non-interference" in foreign elections but has openly supported allies like Trump and Bolsonaro. Behind the scenes, millions in state-funded ads have been deployed to influence EU elections. Let's dive into the details.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 7

🧵⬇️ 1/10 Orbán has taken online election influence to new levels, using millions in state funds to run ads across Europe during election seasons. Here's how Hungary shaped discourse in Slovakia, Poland, and beyond.

How Orbán flooded Central Europe with millions of online ads during election season - VSquare.org

There are signs that the Hungarian government is trying to shape public discourse in other countries with state resources and money.

vsquare.org

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 6

12/12 The leaked files reveal Russia's vast, systematic effort to manipulate public opinion globally. It’s a stark reminder of how disinformation undermines democracy. Stay informed, critical, and vigilant.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 6

11/12 Kaliningrad hub: SDA proposed a Baltic-focused center in Kaliningrad, targeting Poland, Germany, & Baltic states. Goals included influencing elections, spreading propaganda, and building pro-Russian networks.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 6

10/12 Global reach: SDA targeted Israel, Mexico, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Objectives: create divisions, mobilize anti-West narratives, and support pro-Russian policies. Ex: Israel project aimed to separate it from the anti-Russian bloc.

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Splendid_Pete @splendidpete.bsky.social · Jan 6

9/12 "The Other Ukraine": Aimed at positioning exiled oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk as a peace advocate. Content in Ukrainian sought to build loyalty among Russian-speaking Ukrainians and erode support for Kyiv.

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