Budapest's actions prove Oschadbank valuables were seized illegally, says Ukrainian foreign minister

Mar 9, 2026 - 19:04

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said that the drafting of a bill in Hungary to enable valuables seized from Oschadbank cash-in-transit guards to continue to be held confirms that their seizure was illegal.

Source: Sybiha on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Sybiha said that in detaining the Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards and seizing the valuables they were transporting, Hungary is "falling down a spiral of lawlessness".

Quote: "Following their theft of Ukrainian state bank money, they are now putting forward a bill to 'legalise' the illegal seizure. This is a de facto recognition that Hungary's actions lack any legal grounds. They are just adding lawlessness on top of lawlessness."

Details: Sybiha stated that Ukraine intends to hold everyone involved accountable for the seizure of the funds and the brutal treatment of the Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards, which went beyond what is permitted by law.

Background:

An MP from the ruling Hungarian party Fidesz has introduced a bill that prepares the ground for the long-term arrest of the seized Oschadbank valuables.
On 9 March, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that the fighters from Hungary's Counterterrorism Centre who detained the seven cash-in-transit guards from Ukraine's state-run Oschadbank were equipped with an armoured personnel carrier, machine guns and grenade launchers.
Meanwhile, Budapest continues to insist that the seized funds may belong to a "Ukrainian military mafia".
The seven Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards returned to Ukraine on the evening of 6 March.