Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) together with the Prosecutor General's Office have detained ex-president of Georgia, leader of the New Forces Movement party, Mikheil Saakashvili, at the place of his residence in Kyiv.

According to the SBU press center, Saakashvili was detained as part of criminal proceedings opened under Part 1 of Article 256 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding participants in criminal organizations and covering up their criminal activities).

"Law enforcers, in the presence of Saakashvili's lawyer, told him he is suspected of committing a crime," the press center said, adding that investigators will question him.