Slovakian prime minister shot in 'brutal' attack while meeting supporters-breaking

[Gefn]

Slovakia's prime minster Robert Fico is in a life-threatening condition after being shot.

He has been taken to hospital by helicopter in what has been described as a crucial few hours for the Slovak premier.

The incident took place outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, where Mr Fico had been meeting supporters.

A suspect has been detained.


https://news.sky.com/story/slovakian-prime-minister-shot-in-brutal-attack-while-meeting-supporters-13136156

[Gefn]

Feed for live news.

 https://news.sky.com/story/updates-slovakia-prime-minister-robert-fico-in-hospital-after-shooting-13136433


It's breaking on all the European wires I follow- but not a peep on any US wires  yet.

Condition is "life threatening" according to Sky

[catfish1957]

A nation's leader is mortally shot, and we don't hear about it on our news feeds?

Incredible.

[Hoodat]

Archduke Ferdinand?

[catfish1957]

Archduke Ferdinand?

from the wiki page it was kind of hard to extract his political leanings.  Seems he is pro-Israel, anti-Muslim , not pro-Ukraine, left of center domestic policy,  pro-EU, and seems to warm to Russia, but not overtly.

Not sure how any of this plays into this attempt, but i understand the perp was nabbed, so I am guessing more to follow.

[Gefn]

A nation's leader is mortally shot, and we don't hear about it on our news feeds?

Incredible.

@catfish1957

CNN and Wall Street Journal, New York Times  just picked it up about 15 minutes ago. It's trending all over now.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/15/europe/slovakia-prime-minister-fico-shooting-intl/index.html

[Cyber Liberty]

[Timber Rattler]

Ukrainian hit?

Slovakia’s Robert Fico is a political heavyweight with pro-Russian views

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-slovakias-robert-fico-is-a-political-heavyweight-with-pro-russian/

[mountaineer]

I read that the shooter is a 71 y/o "progressive" poet.

A poet?!??

[PeteS in CA]

A nation's leader is mortally shot, and we don't hear about it on our news feeds?

Incredible.

I did something bizarre, I DDGed the phrase "prime minster Robert Fico shot". In the search results I found articles from CNN, USA Today, NBC News, NPR, NYT, AP, WashPost, CBS News, Bloomberg, NYP, Mediaite, several regional outlets in NorCal, and ABC News. And probably more. Noticing Fox News wasn't among the results I went there, and the story is currently at the top of Fox's "World" page, https://www.foxnews.com/world .

[PeteS in CA]

Ukrainian hit?

Slovakia’s Robert Fico is a political heavyweight with pro-Russian views

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-slovakias-robert-fico-is-a-political-heavyweight-with-pro-russian/

Or The Vaccine? Throwing out speculations just obscures the facts when they emerge.

[mountaineer]

‘Orban Next!’ Pro-Ukraine Accounts Celebrate Assassination Attempt on Slovak PM Fico.

Pro-Ukraine social media accounts are cheering the shooting of Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia. The 59-year-old European Union (EU) and NATO leader, an ally of Hungary’s Viktor Orban, has opposed continuing to fund the Western proxy war with Russia in Ukraine, as well as the sanctions duel that has disrupted European energy supplies while having no meaningful impact on Russia’s growing economy.

“Hero!” declared one user of the suspect. He posted a separate message asking, “Victor [sic] Orban you watching?” — as if to suggest the Trump ally, who also opposes open-ended support for Ukraine, will be shot if he doesn’t change his stance.

Other users echoed this sentiment, with one user posting “Orban should take notice” and many users, often with the Ukrainian flag by their name, posting messages reading “Orban next” or “Orban is next.”  ... https://thenationalpulse.com/2024/05/15/orban-next-pro-ukraine-accounts-celebrate-assassination-attempt-on-slovak-pm-fico/?feed_id=4916&_unique_id=6644f883b42bc

[catfish1957]

Ukrainian hit?

Slovakia’s Robert Fico is a political heavyweight with pro-Russian views

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-slovakias-robert-fico-is-a-political-heavyweight-with-pro-russian/

Strange guy, and I had a tough time extracting a political path from the guy on his wiki-page.  You are right, from that page he leans more toward Russia than Ukraine, but in the same article is pro-EU.  Sounds like he is more of an opportunist rather than a ideologue. 

[catfish1957]

Archduke Ferdinand?

Just a few breaking snippets off european feeds....

*Several local pols are vaguely calling this politically motivated.
* Shooter was a 71 year old ex security guard.
* Has been in surgery 3 hours, and wounds are still considered life threatening


Ferdinand?  Good chance.  For two years this thing has been a powder keg just waiting for some line to be crossed.  I sure hope this thing doesn't end up in a quick "choosing of sides" and escalation.

[libertybele]

Praying for peacefulness. 

[Gefn]

Here's a video of it-  in this article

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/slovakian-prime-minister-shot-and-wounded-7329631d



as I post this he has been in surgery for quite some time- apparently he was shot 5 times.

[libertybele]

Here's a video of it-  in this article

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/slovakian-prime-minister-shot-and-wounded-7329631d



as I post this he has been in surgery for quite some time- apparently he was shot 5 times.

Chilling - you can hear the 5 shots in the video - 5 shots is quite traumatic.  I hope he pulls through.  A long surgery isn't exactly a good sign.

[rustynail]

Five Presidents Who Opposed Covid Vaccines Have Conveniently Died, Been Replaced by Pro-Vaxxers

https://newsrescue.com/five-presidents-who-opposed-covid-vaccines-have-conveniently-died-been-replaced-by-pro-vaxxers/

[PeteS in CA]

Five Presidents Who Opposed Covid Vaccines Have Conveniently Died, Been Replaced by Pro-Vaxxers

https://newsrescue.com/five-presidents-who-opposed-covid-vaccines-have-conveniently-died-been-replaced-by-pro-vaxxers/

  Well, I guess that settles it! Pfizer hires hit men! Or was it Moderna? Or AstraZeneca, which wasn't used in the US but was in Europe.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Slovakia is a NATO nation.  Was it the Russians or far-right-wing Slovakian nationalists?

[mountaineer]

Summary from 1440 Daily Digest (a daily email news compilation):

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico was hospitalized but is expected to survive after he was shot yesterday in the central town of Handlova. A suspect was arrested in what officials are calling a politically motivated assassination attempt.

Video shows Fico arriving to shake hands with supporters after a political event when a man in a button-down shirt appeared to shoot at him at least five times at close range (see video, warning: sensitive content). One bullet went through Fico's stomach while another hit his joint, according to one official. Fico was subsequently rushed off by helicopter to a hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Little has been publicly released about Fico's attacker, though elected officials blamed a divisive political atmosphere for the attempt. Fico is a longtime pro-Russian leader in Slovakia, serving for 10 years since 2006 before being reelected last year on promises to reduce the flow of military aid to Ukraine. While his political party leans left, he is an ally to Hungary's right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

[Gefn]

Slovakia PM Robert Fico in stable but serious condition after shooting, doctors say

lovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in a stable but serious condition after being shot several times on Wednesday, according to doctors.

The hospital director said he was currently in an intensive care unit after five hours in surgery.

Earlier Mr Fico, 59, was said to have been fighting for his life after being gravely injured in an attack in the small town of Handlova.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-69019121

[mountaineer]

Unconfirmed:

Russian Market
@runews
BREAKING: 
In Slovakia, the wife of #Cintula, who attempted on Fico's life, has been arrested.
She's a REFUGEE from UKRAINE and incited her husband to seek revenge against the pro-Russian politician.
Wow....
6:40 AM · May 16, 2024

https://twitter.com/raymo_g/status/1790758997647061187

[libertybele]

Suspect who shot Slovakia PM Fico reveals possible motive: report

The 71-year-old suspect who allegedly shot Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico has appeared in an undated Facebook video that may offer clues into his motive, in which he is heard saying "I do not agree with government policy," reports say.

Fico, 59, is expected to survive after being shot multiple times Wednesday while he was greeting supporters at an event outside a cultural center in the town of Handlova, Defense Minister Robert Kalina says.

A suspect was swiftly arrested following the attack and an initial investigation found "a clear political motivation," Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok added.

In a video that has surfaced on Facebook, a person who matched images of the man taken into custody Wednesday was heard saying "I do not agree with government policy," according to Reuters. ..............

https://www.foxnews.com/world/suspect-shot-slovakia-prime-minister-robert-fico-reveals-possible-motive-report

[PeteS in CA]

The Fox News article is behind a registration wall, but MSN has it, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/suspect-who-shot-slovakia-pm-fico-reveals-possible-motive-report/ar-BB1mv0UM . From the article:

In a video that has surfaced on Facebook, a person who matched images of the man taken into custody Wednesday was heard saying "I do not agree with government policy," according to Reuters.

"Liquidated mass media. Why is [public broadcaster] RTVS being attacked?" the man reportedly continued, while also questioning the removal of the chairman of a state judicial council.

Slovakia’s government in late April had approved a controversial overhaul of the country's public radio and television services, a move that critics say would result in the government taking full control of the media.
...
Media in Slovakia say the suspect is a former shopping mall security guard and a member of a Slovak Society of Writers, according to Reuters.

So the guy is Slovak, not Ukrainian, and his motivation was Slovak domestic politics, not Russia vs. Ukraine.