The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that a Ukrainian citizen has been detained in the Dominican Republic on kidnapping charges; it, however, declined to name the person, citing a ban on making this information public.

"A citizen of Ukraine has been detained in the Dominican Republic on kidnapping charges. We received this information from our embassy to Cuba. The embassy and our consul in the Dominican Republic are currently keeping the matter under control. The detainee is now under arrest in a penitentiary of the city of Higuey, he is provided with a lawyer, for whom he pays himself. A preliminary hearing of the case should be held in the near future to determine a restrictive measure for the detainee," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oresta Starak told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

Asked whether the person in question is former Kherson Mayor Volodymyr Saldo, Starak replied, "We have this individual's personal data, but, in line with the personal data protection law, we have no right to divulge and publicize them."

Some information provided by the consul and the lawyer indicates that the case could be settled between the parties out of court, she said.

"If the lawyers for the victim and the detainee reach agreement, it is quite possible that this might be settled by way of material compensation for the crime committed," Starak said.

The 112.Ukraine television channel reported on August 25 with reference to the Ukrainian embassy to Cuba that former Kherson Mayor Volodymyr Saldo had been detained on suspicion of kidnapping in the Dominican Republic.

Saldo ran for Kherson mayor as the Our Land party nominee in 2015 but lost. He is currently a member of the Kherson City Council.