Detention of Ukrainian Employees in Budapest Raises Diplomatic Tensions
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused the Hungarian government today, Friday, of detaining seven employees of the Ukrainian Oschadbank as "hostages" in the heart of Budapest.
This move comes at a time when Hungary is one of the few European countries that has maintained close relations with Russia since the beginning of its military operation in Ukraine.
Sybiha stated via X platform: "Today in Budapest, Hungarian authorities detained seven Ukrainian citizens as hostages," adding that these employees were in two banking vehicles transporting money as part of the usual banking services between state banks.
Oschadbank confirmed that the employees were transporting 40 million dollars and 9 kilograms of gold between the Austrian Raiffeisen Bank and the Ukrainian Oschadbank on Thursday, noting that the vehicles are currently near a law enforcement agency in downtown Budapest, according to GPS data.
This incident comes at a time when relations between Ukraine and European countries allied with Russia are experiencing rising tensions, while Kyiv demands a clear explanation from Budapest regarding the circumstances of the detention.
