In the center of Budapest, two armored vehicles of the Ukrainian state bank “Oschadbank” were detained, carrying tens of millions of dollars, euros, and bank gold. The incident provoked a sharp reaction from Kyiv: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine accused the Hungarian authorities of effectively seizing Ukrainian citizens and valuables, calling the incident an act of state pressure.
According to the Ukrainian side, the operation took place on March 5, 2026, during the regular transportation of currency and bank metals between financial institutions in Austria and Ukraine. The fate of the seven armored service employees accompanying the cargo remains unknown.
What happened to Oschadbank’s armored vehicles in Hungary
The incident occurred on March 5 during a scheduled international banking transit.
According to Oschadbank, two armored vehicles were transporting foreign currency and bank metals between Raiffeisen Bank Austria and the Ukrainian state bank. Such transports are carried out based on international financial agreements and are regulated by European customs rules.
However, on Hungarian territory, the transport with valuables was stopped and detained.
According to the bank, it concerns a large batch of funds:
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about 40 million US dollars
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approximately 35 million euros
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about 9 kilograms of bank gold
The GPS signal of the vehicles shows that the cars are in the center of Budapest near one of Hungary’s law enforcement agencies.
The fate of the bank employees is unknown
The armored crew included seven employees of Oschadbank. After the detention, contact with them was lost.
Ukrainian diplomats in Hungary confirmed the location of the vehicles, but there is no information about the condition and whereabouts of the bank employees yet.
The management of Oschadbank stated that it maintains constant contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and law enforcement agencies to coordinate further actions.
The bank demands the immediate release of its employees and the return of the property.
Kyiv’s sharp reaction and accusations against Hungary
The incident was promptly responded to by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sybiha.
According to him, the actions of the Hungarian authorities can be regarded as hostage-taking.
The minister emphasized that it concerns Ukrainian citizens performing an official banking operation, agreed upon between financial institutions and executed in accordance with international rules.
“In fact, it is about Hungary taking hostages and seizing money. If this is the ‘force’ Mr. Orban spoke of, then it is the force of a criminal gang. This is state terrorism and racketeering,” Sybiha stated.
Ukraine has already sent an official diplomatic note demanding the immediate release of its citizens.
Kyiv may appeal to the European Union
Ukrainian authorities are also considering appealing to the institutions of the European Union.
Kyiv intends to seek a legal assessment of the actions of the Hungarian security forces — in particular, on the issue of possible illegal detention of people and blocking of bank property.
According to the Ukrainian side, the situation has an international character, as it concerns the transit of financial resources between European banks.
What is known about the location of the vehicles
According to sources in diplomatic circles, the detained vehicles may have been placed on the closed territory of the Hungarian Counter-Terrorism Center.
Officially, this information has not yet been confirmed by the Hungarian authorities.
The National Bank of Ukraine, citing data from Oschadbank, confirmed that the vehicles were detained by representatives of the Hungarian law enforcement agencies.
The NBU also stated that they demand:
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the immediate release of Ukrainian citizens
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an official explanation of the reasons for the detention
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disclosure of information about the location of the valuables
The Ukrainian side emphasizes that the transportation was carried out within the framework of existing international procedures and fully complied with European norms.
International resonance and possible consequences
The situation surrounding the detention of armored vehicles quickly gained a political dimension.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of complex relations between Kyiv and Budapest, which have been complicated for several years by issues of European policy, sanctions, and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Experts note that such events could become a serious diplomatic crisis within the European Union, especially if the version of illegal detention of bank valuables is confirmed.
Such international incidents related to financial transportation, security, and political conflicts in Europe are regularly analyzed by NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, monitoring how regional contradictions within the EU increasingly acquire geopolitical significance.
The key question remains open: will Hungary officially explain its actions — and when will Ukrainian citizens be able to return home.