NBU demands from Hungary immediate release of Oschadbank collectors

The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) confirms information about the seizure by the Hungarian authorities on March 5, 2026 of two cars of the state-owned Oschadbank’s collection service and the illegal detention of seven employees.

"The vehicles were transporting foreign currency and bank metals under a contract between Oschadbank and Raiffeisen Bank International (Austria), fully compliant with EU customs rules. The NBU demands the immediate release of Ukrainian citizens and an official explanation from Hungary," National Bank of Ukraine Governor Andriy Pyshnyy wrote on X.

He said the current whereabouts of the cash collectors are unknown and contact with them has been lost.

Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Hungary had effectively taken Oschadbank employees hostage.

The previous day, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he would use force to make Ukraine resume Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, which stopped January 27 after Russia shelled the pipeline near Brody in Lviv region.

"There will be no deals, no compromise. We will break the Ukrainian oil blockade by force," Orban said.

Ukraine attributes the lack of transit to damage and the need for repairs, which are being delayed by hostile attacks and require another one to 1.5 months, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Meanwhile, the leaders of Slovakia and Hungary, the only EU countries still receiving Russian oil, accuse Kyiv of political reasons for stopping supplies and have banned diesel fuel deliveries to Ukraine in response. Hungary has also blocked allocation of a EUR 90 billion loan.