The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, has reported that Hungarian authorities have detained seven Ukrainian citizens, all employees of Oschadbank, in Budapest. The incident reportedly involves the theft of money and valuables during a routine transport operation.
According to Sybiha, the detained individuals were engaged in transporting cash and other valuables between Austria and Ukraine as part of regular operations between state banks. He stated, “Today in Budapest, Hungarian authorities took seven Ukrainian citizens hostage. The reasons for their detention, as well as their health status and ability to communicate, remain unknown.”
Sybiha characterized the actions of the Hungarian authorities as tantamount to state terrorism and extortion, asserting that Hungary had effectively taken hostages and stolen money. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “If this is the ‘force’ that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán referred to today, it is the force of a criminal gang.”
In response to the incident, the Ukrainian government has issued an official note demanding the immediate release of its citizens. Furthermore, Ukraine plans to approach the European Union to seek clarification on Hungary’s actions, which include hostage-taking and robbery.
Oschadbank has also released a statement regarding the incident, detailing the amount of money and valuables that were stolen. The bank indicated that, based on GPS data, the illegally detained vehicles are currently located in central Budapest, near a Hungarian security agency. This information has been confirmed by representatives of the Ukrainian embassy in Hungary and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. The whereabouts of the bank employees remain unknown.
The transport operation was conducted under a bilateral agreement with Raiffeisen Bank in Austria, and Oschadbank noted that all procedures were compliant with international transport regulations and European customs laws. The estimated value of the stolen goods includes approximately $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold.
Oschadbank has reiterated its demand for the immediate return of its employees and the recovery of its assets to Ukraine.
In related developments, on March 2, Prime Minister Orbán claimed that satellite images prove there are no obstacles to the operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded, suggesting that satellite imagery does not capture all relevant details and criticized Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico for their perceived self-interest concerning the pipeline. Zelensky also expressed hope that the blockage of a €90 billion EU loan by an individual, implicitly referring to Orbán, would cease, warning that he would disclose that person’s identity to the Ukrainian armed forces if it continued. Orbán has publicly threatened to use force to compel Ukraine to restore oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.
The detention of seven Oschadbank employees by Hungarian authorities in Budapest raises serious concerns regarding state conduct and international relations. Ukrainian officials are demanding their immediate release and seeking EU intervention.