Czech prime minister says his X account was hacked ‘from abroad’

The Czech prime minister’s account on the social media platform X was hacked on Tuesday, with a series of false messages posted, including those claiming a Russian attack on Czech soldiers and a response to U.S. tariffs. 

Petr Fiala confirmed the incident, saying the hack originated “from abroad.”

“Despite thorough security measures, including two-factor authentication … the attackers managed to penetrate the profiles and publish fake posts,” he said. “We are actively cooperating with the police to investigate this incident and identify the perpetrators.”

One of the posts alleged that Russian forces had attacked Czech military units near the border of Kaliningrad, a heavily militarized Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania. The post was later deleted.

"The post about the attack on Czech soldiers is not true," government spokesperson Lucie Michut Jesatkova told local media.

The prime minister’s X account, which has more than 366,000 followers, also briefly displayed a post about preparing sanctions in response to U.S. tariffs. According to local reports, both fake posts included a live video link, which turned out to be a static image with no audio.

Similar fake content appeared on the X account of Spolu, a center-right political alliance that includes Fiala’s Civic Democratic Party (ODS).

“We reacted immediately and are working with experts to analyze the attack. High security of our channels is a priority for us,” said ODS spokesperson Jakub Skyva.

Petr Letocha, a member of the Czech parliament’s security committee, told local media that the breach may have involved someone with administrative access to both accounts.

“Given that the [prime minister's] account is fully under control again, I believe the attacker no longer has access to it,” he said, adding that two-factor authentication makes such breaches difficult and the investigation may clarify how it was bypassed.

Czech police confirmed they are investigating the breach to determine how it occurred and whether the false information posted could constitute a criminal offense.

In April 2024, an unidentified hacker published a fake news article on a Czech media website, falsely claiming Ukrainian nationals were behind an assassination attempt on Slovak President-elect Peter Pellegrini.

In recent years, the Czech Republic has been frequently targeted by cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, most of which have been traced back to Russia. Czechia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, supplying military aid, hosting refugees, and backing EU sanctions against Moscow.

Last month, Czech officials announced they were ready to send troops as part of a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. The country has also previously tightened requirements for Russian applicants seeking citizenship.