On March 5, Hungarian authorities detained seven employees of the Ukrainian state bank Oschadbank, according to the bank’s press service and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
According to Sybiha, the bank employees were traveling in two vehicles belonging to the organization. They were en route to Ukraine via Austria and were transporting cash as part of routine banking operations.
The cargo, according to the Ukrainian side, had been documented in accordance with international transport regulations and existing European customs procedures. The vehicles reportedly contained $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold. Oschadbank has demanded the immediate release of its employees and property, as well as their safe return to Ukraine.
A source cited by RBC-Ukraine claims that the bank’s vehicles are currently located on the premises of Hungary’s Counter-Terrorism Center.
Sybiha stated that “in essence, this amounts to Hungary taking hostages and stealing money.” According to the minister, the reasons for the detention remain unknown, as does the current health condition of the detainees or whether they are able to contact anyone.
Hungarian authorities have not yet commented on the detention of the Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards.
Relations between Kyiv and Budapest have recently deteriorated again after Ukraine halted the transit of Russian energy resources to Hungary through the Druzhba oil pipeline. Ukraine claims the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes, while Budapest believes the supplies were stopped for political reasons. In response, Hungary has blocked the approval of a $90 billion EU loan to Ukraine.
On March 5, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Budapest has the means to force Ukraine to resume oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.
“We have political and financial instruments, and with them we will compel them to unconditionally and as soon as possible restore the operation of the Druzhba pipeline,” Orbán said.
The Hungarian prime minister also emphasized that Budapest will halt the transit of supplies important for Ukraine until the pipeline is restarted. In an interview with Kossuth Radio, Orbán added that he was displeased with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s earlier statement suggesting that the Ukrainian military might be given the address of those blocking the loan for Kyiv.
