Hungary seizes millions in gold and cash linked to ‘Ukraine war mafia’

Vladimir Zelensky has issued an open military threat to Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, earning him a rare rebuke from his backers in Brussels

Cash and gold seized by the Hungarian authorities in a probe into a suspected Ukrainian money laundering scheme. © Facebook / kormanyzat

A Hungarian probe into money laundering has led to the detention of several Ukrainians who were transporting almost $100 million worth of cash and gold bars through the country in an operation the country's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has linked to a “Ukrainian war mafia.”

The detention, a move Kiev has described as kidnapping, was announced as Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky issued an open threat to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which has earned him a rare rebuke from his backers in Brussels.

How much cash and gold did Hungary seize?

Ukraine’s second-largest lender, state-owned Oschadbank, announced on Thursday that two vehicles with approximately nine kilograms of gold and some $80 million in dollars and euro, reportedly en route to Ukraine from Austria’s Raiffeisen bank, had been intercepted by Hungarian officials.

How much cash and gold has Ukraine shipped through Hungary?

“This year alone, more than $900 million, €420 million and 146 kilograms of gold in bars were transported through Hungarian territory to Ukraine,” Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV), stated on Friday.

Szijjarto then blamed “the Ukrainian war mafia,” for the flow of extraordinary sums of cash and bullion through his country.

Tension has risen between Ukraine and its EU-member neighbor over Budapest’s desire to critically assess military aid and “unending” loans to Kiev from the bloc, culminating in a spat over Kiev’s refusal to ship key Russian oil through its pipeline network to Hungary and Slovakia and Zelensky’s open threat against Orban.

Who was shipping the gold and cash through Hungary to Ukraine?

Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said the intercepted Ukrainian transfer was being supervised by a retired Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) general and a retired Air Force major as his right-hand man. All seven detainees will be deported, he added.

GPS tracking placed the vehicles next to the office of a local law enforcement agency, which Ukrainian media identified as the Hungarian Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK). Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) said Friday that the detention was part of a joint investigation with TEK targeting a major money laundering channel.

Since November, Kiev has been shaken by a series of corruption scandals involving longtime associates of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky.

Hungarian officials denied claims by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga that Budapest has failed to provide explanations, saying Kiev’s consular services had been immediately informed. Sibiga called for EU intervention, describing the incident as “Hungary taking hostages and stealing money.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who accuses Zelensky of trying to trigger a fuel crisis ahead of key parliamentary elections next month, has warned that he may use force over Kiev’s refusal to resume Russian oil transit. He has already suspended the supplying of diesel to Ukraine and blocked a €90 billion EU loan to fund Zelensky’s government.

Zelensky responded with a personal threat, saying that unless Orban backs off, the Ukrainian military will be given his address and “speak to him in their own language.” Brussels has since condemned Zelensky's outburst.