Ukraine accuses Hungary of taking seven people hostage

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has accused Hungarian authorities of taking hostage seven employees of Ukraine's state savings bank, Oschadbank.

Writing on X, Sybiha said: "Today in Budapest, Hungarian authorities took seven Ukrainian citizens hostage. The reasons are still unknown, as well as their current well-being."

The employees were in two cars carrying $80m (£60m) worth of cash between Austria and Ukraine. The authorities had sent a note demanding the employees' return, Sybiha said.

In a statement, Oschadbank said the employees "were unjustifiably detained in Hungary" and that GPS data showed their vehicles in Budapest. The BBC has contacted the Hungarian government for comment.

"The amount of valuables in the stolen cars amounted to 40 million US dollars, 35 million euros, 9 kg of gold," the Oschadbank statement continues.

"Oschadbank demands the immediate release of its employees and property and their return to Ukraine."

Hungary maintains close ties with Russia, and has consistently opposed military aid for Ukraine.

Sybiha accused Hungary of "state terrorism and racketeering".

"We are talking about Hungary taking hostages and stealing money," Sybiha added on X.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for blocking a European aid package for Kyiv.

Orban has accused Kyiv of imposing an "oil blockade" on Hungary by deliberately delaying the reopening of the Druzhba pipeline.

Orban, who is trailing in opinion polls ahead of pivotal elections next month, has said Budapest will use "political and financial tools" to force Ukraine to reopen the pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungarian refineries.

Ukraine says the pipeline was damaged by Russian strikes last month and its repair crews have been injured by further attacks.

Druzhba is the main route for delivering Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia and shipments of Russian oil to both countries have been cut off since 27 January.

Hungary and ‌Slovakia, the only European ​Union countries still importing Russian oil, accuse Ukraine of deliberately delaying the resumption of oil flows for political reasons.