Hungary’s Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár effectively acknowledged that the detention of Ukrainian cash couriers and the seizure of their cargo on Hungarian territory was a deliberate decision by the government. He added that the money would not be returned to Ukraine until oil shipments resume through the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungarian outlet Telex reported, citing the minister, that the operation to detain a cash shipment bound for Ukraine was not accidental. He said the move likely relates to the status of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies crude to Hungary.
During his remarks, Lázár stressed that the seized funds — dollars, euros and gold — will remain in Hungary for now. He said any return would directly depend on whether oil deliveries resume through the pipeline.
“We didn’t do what we did by accident; we won’t give the money back… The money will stay here for now; we’re waiting for the pipeline to reopen and for new Ukrainian cash shipments through Hungary,” he said.
Lázár also expressed surprise at the method of transport, questioning why money for Ukraine was moved as a large amount of cash and even gold bars. Still, he acknowledged that the dollar can remain an important financial instrument during war and economic instability.
He added that many questions remain unanswered — including the origin of the funds and how the transfer was organized.
He referenced financial operations between Raiffeisen Bank International and Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank that, he said, may have been conducted several times after the start of the full-scale war.
According to Lázár, Hungary is examining a range of potential risks, including those tied to money laundering, the financing of organized crime or political activity.
“The longer it takes to restore the pipeline’s operations, the more thorough the investigations need to be,” he added.
On March 5, Hungarian authorities detained two Oschadbank armored cash-in-transit vehicles carrying seven employees and valuables worth more than $75 million and 9 kilograms of gold.
Authorities later said they were detained on suspicion of attempting to illegally transport large sums of cash and gold into Ukraine. Investigators said the operation was allegedly overseen by a former Ukrainian intelligence general. Seven Ukrainians were detained along with two armored cash-in-transit vehicles purportedly used to move the money and gold.
Oschadbank countered that there were no legal grounds to detain its staff. The bank’s press service said the vehicles were on a scheduled international transfer, adding that similar runs occur regularly — about once a week.
On March 6, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X that the seven Ukrainian citizens held in Hungary had crossed the border and were safe.
Despite returning the couriers, Hungary has not handed back the seized vehicles and valuables and continues to hold them. Meanwhile, Máté Kocsis, leader of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, submitted a bill to parliament to keep the seized Ukrainian assets under arrest.
