Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the seven Ukrainians were taken “as hostages” by Hungarian authorities and that cash and valuables were taken, including USD 40 million, EUR 35 million and 9 kilograms of gold.
He said the convoy was carrying the funds on regular transfers between state banks on a route between Austria and Ukraine, linked to a transaction with Austrian bank Raiffeisen.
Ukrainian media cited unofficial reports that the detained bank staff were being held in Budapest. Sources cited by RBK-Ukraine said they were at Hungary’s Counter Terrorism Center, an institution subordinated to the Hungarian interior ministry, and that the two vehicles used on the trip were also there.
The incident comes against a backdrop of rising tensions between Kyiv and Budapest, including disputes over transit issues and European Union aid for Ukraine.
In a Friday morning radio interview, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Hungary would not agree to Ukraine joining the European Union and promised to block EU assistance if Ukraine continued what he called “blackmail.”
“We must clearly say that we reject Ukraine’s demand to get rid of cheap Russian energy. And we will not allow Ukraine to be admitted to the European Union,” Orban said.
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Source: Polish Radio