The sabotage and reconnaissance group active in a number of Ukrainian cities, members of which were detained in Kyiv on Wednesday, was led by a Ukrainian citizen, head of a Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) office Oleksandr Tkachuk has said.

SBU spokesperson Olena Hitlianska, for her part, has said that three Russian citizens, who were members of this group, and four Ukrainians had been detained. Another Ukrainian citizen was killed during the detention operation.

"Seven people were detained. The eighth one was killed," she said.

"The sabotage and reconnaissance group had been operating in the territory of Ukraine for a long time. There was no other way to neutralize it," Tkachuk said.

Hitlianska said earlier that during its operation to dismantle the activities of a sabotage and reconnaissance group active in a number of Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, the SBU had detained three citizens of Russia and three Ukrainians. One soldier of the Alfa special operations unit was killed. One gang member was killed during the operation as well.