A group led by Colonel of the Main Intelligence Department of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Strelkov (actual surname Girkin) is involved in the abduction of OSCE mission members in Sloviansk (Donetsk region), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported.

"The group led by Strelok has been found to be involved in the abduction of OSCE officials in Donetsk region," the head of the SBU press center, Maryna Ostapenko, said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

She said that OSCE members had been kidnapped "on the direct instruction of saboteur Igor Bezler (call sign "Bes")." Ostapenko said that telephone conversations between Bezler and his subordinates were evidence of that.

Ostapenko also said that SBU had established the real name of Colonel Igor Strelkov - Igor Girkin, who was born in 1970 and is registered as a resident of Moscow.