Four kilogrammes of explosives found in two backpacks near Kanjiža could have damaged the infrastructure of the TurkStream international gas pipeline, cutting off gas supply to northern Serbia and Hungary, as well as causing external fires and endangering residents of three nearby villages, former head of the BIA (Security Information Agency) Radiša Roskić told Blic daily.
Throughout yesterday, the Hungarian and Ukrainian governments argued over the foiled attack in Kanjiža, while the director of the Military Security Agency (VBA) revealed that a member of a group of migrants was supposed to detonate the explosives.
Đuro Jovanić, director of the Military Security Agency, stated yesterday at a press conference who might be behind the incident near Kanjiža.
“Explosives manufactured in the United States”
“We had information that an individual from a group of migrants, who is militarily trained, would attempt to carry out sabotage on gas infrastructure. We are searching for this person, and they will certainly be apprehended. The markings on the explosives clearly show that they were manufactured in the United States. Will someone now say that this might suit the United States at this moment? The Serbian Armed Forces do not interfere in political processes in the Republic of Serbia, let alone in those of any other country,” Jovanić concluded.
Ukraine denies involvement
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected any involvement in the attempted sabotage of a section of the TurkStream gas pipeline near Kanjiža in northern Serbia, which connects the gas infrastructure of Serbia and Hungary.
“We categorically reject attempts to falsely link Ukraine to the incident involving explosives found near the TurkStream gas pipeline in Serbia. Ukraine has nothing to do with this,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi on X.
He claimed the incident was “most likely a Russian false-flag operation.”
“Most likely, this is a Russian false-flag operation as part of Moscow’s strong interference in elections in Hungary,” Tykhyi added.
Szijjártó responds to Ukraine
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó responded to his Ukrainian counterpart on X, writing: “Yes, just like with Nord Stream 2.”
According to German investigators, the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines late last year were carried out by a group of Ukrainians acting under the direct command of then Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Four kilogrammes of explosives – enormous damage
Roskić told Blic that four kilogrammes of explosives found near Kanjiža is far from insignificant.
“Four kilogrammes of dynamite is not a small amount, let alone modern explosives. Depending on the type of explosive and the expertise of the person placing it, the damage could be minor or significant, even affecting the surrounding population,” Roskić said, analysing yesterday’s dramatic situation.
He added that serious consequences could also arise from gas leaks following an explosion.
“Gas is environmentally neutral in some respects, but it is flammable. This means there could have been external explosions and an even greater risk to nearby residents,” Roskić noted. In his opinion, the economic consequences might have been the most severe. “There would have been such damage to the gas infrastructure that both northern Serbia and Hungary would effectively have been cut off from gas,” he said.
“Such attempts are not made without strong foreign logistical support”
He stressed that the investigation should focus on possible links between organisers and perpetrators and foreign intelligence services, as such attempts “are not carried out without very strong logistical support from abroad.”
“A key part of the investigation will be determining the type and origin of the explosives, which could point the way to identifying those responsible. I fully agree with what the president said: the target could be Serbia, Serbia and Hungary, or Hungary. The framework of the investigation will be set within this triangle,” Roskić assessed.
He noted that military experts would first determine the type of explosive.
“Our military experts are trained for this and perform such analyses flawlessly. Once we determine the type, we will know the potential sources. Narrowing those down can lead to the exact source and ultimately to the individuals who made the explosives available to those acting against public safety and state property,” Roskić said.
All options remain open
Roskić recalled that the basic rule of any investigation is that no possibility is ruled out without evidence. “As in medicine when diagnosing, we eliminate possibilities one by one. Whether this is a simple provocation ending here or just the initial phase of a larger operation – we must wait and see,” Roskić said. He expressed confidence that military and police forces would successfully secure the area and remove any immediate threats.
Prosecutor Mladenka Manojlović from the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Subotica stated that the case had been classified as the criminal offence of illegal production, possession and trafficking of weapons and explosives, in conjunction
Vučić: “Two large backpacks with explosives found a few hundred metres from the pipeline”
President Vučić said yesterday, while visiting a construction site within the EXPO project, that sniffer dogs, the army and police found two large backpacks containing explosives and detonating cords just a few hundred metres from the pipeline.
“I have just finished a conversation with Viktor Orbán and informed him that Hungary would have had no gas, and neither would we in northern Serbia, had the explosion occurred. Later we can discuss details – the army, counterintelligence services, and the Military Security Agency will keep you informed. We are protecting the compressor station – Kragujevac and Niš – nothing can get through there,” Vučić said.
Orbán: “A sabotage operation was planned”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced yesterday afternoon, following a meeting of the country’s Defence Council, that military forces guarding the section of the TurkStream pipeline in Hungary would be reinforced.
In a video posted on social media, Orbán thanked President Aleksandar Vučić for the “swift and effective response” after Serbian authorities found the explosive device and triggering mechanisms on critical gas infrastructure linking Serbia and Hungary.
“Based on the information available to us, a sabotage operation was planned on the Vojvodina section of the TurkStream pipeline supplying Hungary. I consulted with the President of Serbia. I thanked President Vučić for the work of the Serbian authorities – they have strengthened protection of the pipeline,” Orbán said.
(Blic, 06.04.2026)