Hungary has still not allowed Ukrainian consuls to visit seven Oschadbank collectors detained in Budapest, as Hungarian authorities opened criminal proceedings against the Ukrainian citizens on suspicion of money laundering.
Kyiv has strongly protested the detention, calling it politically motivated and demanding the immediate release of the detainees.
According to the Hungarian newspaper Magyar Hang, law enforcement officials claim that about $40 million, €35 million, and nine kilograms of gold were being transported from Austria to Ukraine.
Among those detained, media reports say, was a former general of Ukraine’s intelligence services, believed to have served in the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), who allegedly oversaw the transport of the cargo.
Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) said that on March 5, seven Ukrainian citizens – including the former intelligence general – were detained along with two armored collection vehicles while transporting the funds and gold.
The agency said it is “conducting criminal proceedings on suspicion of money laundering.”
NAV also stated that it “immediately notified the Ukrainian consular service of the start of the procedure,” but claimed that “so far there has been no response from the consular service.”
Hungarian law enforcement officials further alleged that more than $900 million, €420 million, and 146 kilograms of gold bars have been transported to Ukraine via Hungary since the beginning of the year.
Kyiv calls detention “hostage taking,” suggesting it was politically motivated
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Ukrainian consuls have still not been granted access to the detainees, whom he described as “held hostage in Budapest.” He added that the Hungarian authorities had provided no explanation for the detention.
Ukraine is demanding their immediate release, Sybiha said, adding that Kyiv is preparing additional steps, including raising the issue at the European Union level.
Later, the minister suggested the case was politically motivated.
“[Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor] Orban’s list of demands for Ukraine this morning was particularly telling. This is what typically happens after people are taken hostage: demands,” Sybiha wrote on X, adding that “we will not tolerate this state banditry.”
Meanwhile, Serbian broadcaster RTRS reported that Hungary had given Ukraine three days to restore the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline and allow inspectors access.
The channel quoted Hungarian Energy Ministry State Secretary Gabor Csepek as saying:
“A message has been sent to the Ukrainian government demanding that the pipeline be restored within three days and that an inspection of the Brody station, which provides oil pumping, be allowed.”
Sybiha said that those responsible for detaining the Ukrainian citizens would face consequences.
“We once again demand Hungary stop dragging Ukraine into its domestic politics and electoral campaign. We expect strong responses from our partners,” he wrote.
Later, Hungarian authorities said they plan to expel seven Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards who were earlier detained by officers of Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration.
Hungarian government spokesman Zoltán Kovács wrote on X that authorities had established the identities of seven Ukrainian citizens detained in connection with transporting large amounts of cash and gold through Hungary.
According to Kovács, investigators concluded that the operation was organized by individuals with military backgrounds.
“Authorities found the operation was supervised by a former general of the Ukrainian Security Service, with a former major of the Ukrainian Air Force acting as deputy and assisted by individuals with military experience. Based on these findings, all seven individuals will be expelled from Hungary.”
Ukrainian authorities respond
Meanwhile, a team from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) is urgently traveling to Budapest to clarify the situation.
NBU Chairman Andriy Pyshnyi said on social media that his deputy Oleksiy Shaban would lead the delegation.
“My deputy Oleksiy Shaban and the bank’s team are urgently leaving for a business trip to Budapest to clarify the situation. We are keeping the issue under control,” Pyshnyi wrote.
According to Pyshnyi, the NBU is also preparing an appeal to international partners and European regulators to determine whether there were any violations of eurozone Cash-In-Transit (CIT) transportation procedures.
Oschadbank: transport was legal
State-owned Oschadbank confirmed that consular representatives have not yet been allowed to visit the detainees and said it had received no prior notification from Hungarian authorities.
“Oschadbank also did not receive any messages from the Hungarian side either before or after the detention,” the bank said in a statement.
The bank said it sees no legal grounds for the detention of its vehicles or personnel.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the transportation of foreign currency and bank metals has been carried out exclusively by land. Such flights are carried out by Oschadbank’s collection vehicles every week,” the statement said.
Oschadbank also noted that it holds a valid international transportation license issued by Ukraine’s State Service for Transport Safety.
“The valuables that were in the stolen cars belong to the state-owned Oschadbank. These are funds that were entrusted to the bank by citizens and businesses of Ukraine. They were transported from Austria for further use in circulation and saturation of the cash market of Ukraine,” the bank said.
Criminal case opened in Ukraine
Ukraine’s National Police has opened a criminal investigation into the detention.
The case was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under Article 146 of the Criminal Code (illegal deprivation of liberty or kidnapping) and Article 147 (hostage taking).
Police said they had contacted Europol, Hungarian law enforcement authorities, and customs officials through official channels and are coordinating efforts to establish the circumstances of the incident.
Ukraine warns citizens against travel to Hungary
Following the incident, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry advised citizens to refrain from traveling to Hungary, citing the inability to guarantee their safety.
The ministry also recommended that businesses and travelers avoid transit routes through Hungarian territory.
“We also draw the attention of Ukrainian and European businesses to the threats of arbitrary theft of property on the territory of Hungary and recommend taking these risks into account in the context of any business activity in this country,” the ministry said.
Report: Russia interfering in Hungarian elections
Separately, the investigative outlet VSquare reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin had allegedly instructed political strategists and military intelligence to interfere in Hungary’s elections to help Orban remain in power.
According to the report, Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Head of Russia’s Presidential Administration, was tasked with overseeing the operation.
Investigators say the alleged operation mirrors tactics used during the 2024 Moldovan presidential elections, where Russian influence campaigns targeted social media and information channels.
Sources in the intelligence services of at least three EU and NATO member states told the project they were monitoring the situation.
One source told VSquare that “Orban’s anti-Ukrainian narratives create an ideal environment for Russian disinformation operations – when the country’s information ecosystem is already prepared for them.”