KIEV, Feb. 1 - The main investigation department of Ukraine’s Security Service has detained former acting Chairman of the State Committee of Ukraine for the State Material Reserve Vitaliy Nikitin.

The SBU's press service told Interfax-Ukraine that Nikitin had been detained as a suspect in a criminal case opened on charges of embezzling public funds worth over UAH 7 billion, including those identified by international audit firms during checks on the use by the Ukrainian government of budgetary funds in 2008-2009 and in the first quarter of 2010.