The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained three Ukrainians who kidnapped a British citizen in Dnipropetrovsk and demanded a ransom of $30,000.

According to the press service of the SBU branch in Dnipropetrovsk region, on March 3, a British citizen, aged 49, arrived in Dnipropetrovsk and checked into a local hotel. Two days later, his family received a phone call during which he said that he was forcibly held by people who demanded $30,000 for his release. The kidnappers demanded that the money should be sent by electronic bank transfer, the press service said.

Through diplomatic channels the relatives of the abducted Briton appealed for help to the SBU, which located the kidnappers, the hostage and the car in which they were traveling. On the same day, special forces freed the hostage and arrested the three kidnappers on the Dnipropetrovsk-Kharkiv motorway.

The SBU has launched criminal proceedings into the case.