Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine Vadym Troyan is not a suspect in any criminal case, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has said.

The SBU together with the Prosecutor General's Office held a special operation to detain three people who are suspected of extortion from a company head, the SBU reported on Facebook.

The detainees have been chosen preventive measures.

"During the investigative actions, law enforcers received information about the possible implication of Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine Troyan. In spite of the status of the person, in order to establish the truth, it was decided to hold a search at Mr. Troyan's living quarters," the SBU said.

"According to the results of these investigative actions, the information about the possible involvement of Mr. Troyan in such illegal activity proved to be unreliable and has not been confirmed. Thus, Troyan is not a suspect," the report says.

Investigation into the case of the detainees continues.

Earlier, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko wrote on Facebook Assistant to Ukrainian Deputy Interior Minister Svitlana Ivashtenko, deputy head of the Azov public corps Volodymyr Brzhezynsky and a civilian have been detained during the joint inquiry of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). According to the report, these persons are suspected of systemic extortion of over UAH 1.5 million from a representative of one of the companies threatening to his life and health.

"According to the secret investigators' actions, the above-mentioned persons shared UAH 785,000 among themselves and other persons. A total of 13 places were raided, including the place of residents of Deputy Interior Minister Vadym Troyan. The funds have not been found," Lutsenko wrote.

The website of the Interior Ministry reported Troyan is currently on vacation, and has recently participated in investigative actions in one of the criminal proceedings.

"He hasn't been notified about any suspicions against him," the ministry said.