Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has filed a defamation lawsuit against Odesa regional administration head Mikheil Saakashvili, who recently accused the minister of corruption.

"I have filed a lawsuit against Mr. Saakashvili," Avakov said on the 1+1 television channel on Thursday evening.

Avakov said also that, as far as he was concerned, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk also intended to file an identical lawsuit against Saakashvili.

"As far as I know, Yatseniuk is going to do that as well," he said.

Avakov regretted the incident that took place recently at a Reform Council meeting, in which he and Yatseniuk verbally clashed with Saakashvili. He also apologized to all Ukrainians and particularly to Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, on whom he unintentionally splashed some water while throwing water at Saakashvili.

"I really regret it that my emotions went overboard. I am sorry that this went public. I regret it that the country has seen that such things exist. But the realities of Ukrainian politics are even dirtier," he said.

Avakov insisted that each accusation of corruption must be proven.

"I believe you cannot harm anti-corruption activities worse than by saying and not proving," Avakov said with reference to Saakashvili's accusations.