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

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said preparations in Hungary for a bill allowing the continued retention of valuables seized from Oschadbank cash-in-transit guards confirm that their seizure was illegal.

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

"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," Sybiha wrote on X.

Sybiha stated that Ukraine intends to ensure accountability for everyone involved in the seizure of the funds and the rough treatment of the detained Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards, which went beyond the legal framework.

An MP from the ruling Hungarian party Fidesz submitted 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 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, accusations continue to come from Budapest that the seized funds may belong to a "Ukrainian military mafia".

The seven Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards detained together with the valuables in Hungary last week returned to Ukraine on the evening of 6 March.