The Slovak prime minister is injured in an attack

Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was injured in an attack on Wednesday, according to the country's president.

Local media reported that Mr. Fico was shot and wounded in the town of Handlova, where he had been meeting with supporters.

President Zuzana Caputova condemned what she called a “brutal and reckless attack.”

“I'm shocked,” she wrote in a Facebook message. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment to recover from the attack.”

The extent of Mr. Fico's injuries was not immediately known. There was no immediate comment from the prime minister's office or police.

Fico is a veteran politician who has aligned himself with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in opposing aid to Ukraine and challenging traditional views within the European Union.

Fico, who ended a previous stint as prime minister by resigning in 2018 amid a swirl of corruption allegations, has also followed Orban in seeking to neutralize the judiciary and casting Ukraine's supporters as disloyal lackeys of the United States.

He returned to power after September's general election, reviving a political career that many had considered over when he resigned amid large street protests after the killing of an investigative journalist who was investigating government corruption.

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