Hungary returned the Oshchadbank cash and gold to Ukraine on 6 May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Telegram. Zelenskyy thanked Budapest for what he called a constructive and civilized step.
Zelenskyy on the return
Zelenskyy wrote that the Oshchadbank funds and valuables are now on Ukrainian territory in full. He framed the handover as an important step in relations with Hungary.
The Ukrainian leader recalled that the Hungarian side had unlawfully detained the bank's cash couriers in March. The couriers themselves came home much faster than the money and the gold.
He thanked the Ukrainian team for fighting for a fair decision and defending the interests of the state and its people.
What Hungary seized in March
Hungary's Counter-Terrorism Center intercepted two armored Oshchadbank cash-in-transit vehicles near Budapest on 5 March. The convoy was on a routine run between Austria's Raiffeisen Bank and Oshchadbank.
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The vehicles were carrying $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kg of gold belonging to Ukrainian citizens and businesses. The cargo was destined for domestic cash circulation.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó claimed without evidence that the couriers might have been carrying "Ukrainian war mafia" money. The seven detained cash-in-transit couriers returned to Ukraine on the evening of 6 March.
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Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that Hungarian forces kept the couriers in handcuffs for 28 hours and transported them blindfolded, despite their formal status as witnesses.
Hungary's earlier refusal
Hungary returned the Oshchadbank armored vehicles, damaged, but kept the cash and gold for weeks.
Hungarian Construction Minister János Lázár publicly insisted that Budapest would not return the money. He tied the seizure to Hungary's demand that Ukraine restore Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline.
At the time, Zelenskyy called Hungary's conduct banditry, and Oshchadbank launched an international legal campaign to recover the assets.
